See You in My Dreams
by Jojo78
Summary: Mary and Marshall are stuck together, in a dream. Neither knows who's dream it is, both thinking is their own. The dream room will help them define or finally break their relationship. Will they be able to figure out who's dream it is? Will they finally find middle ground? (Disclaimer: I don't own In Plain Sight) M/M
1. Chapter 1

**I'm baaaack! Well here is another story that came to me after reading something similar. And no, I'm not talking about tilleygirl's 'You're the one that I'm dreaming of', great story, one of my favorites too. Go ahead, you can read that too, again and again. Anyways, enjoy! (Disclaimer: I dont own In Plain Sight)**

* * *

"Ugh, you again!" she growled to the other figure in the empty room.

"So it seems", he said with a shrug as he sat against the four poster bed that sat in the middle of the room.

"Why can't I have my regular nightmares? Why are _you _here? And if I have to dream about a person, why can't it be a famous movie star?" she pouted at the man.

He shrugged again, "I keep asking myself the same questions. I personally think that the lack of our friendship in the office has me dreaming about you. And it wouldn't be _you_ if you didn't fight and argue."

"Lack of our friendship?" she air quoted sarcastically before muttering, "Yeah, like I asked for that step back."

"What was that?" he asked.

Mary turned away from him and walked the space of the room, "I don't want to be here!"

"Yelling won't change the fact that we're here," he reminded her. "We've tried it all."

"God dammit! You're the damn Wikipedia here, what does it mean for me to be dreaming about you every freaking day?" she walked over to the four poster bed, but like always stood a foot away from it, like she was afraid to touch it.

Marshall sighed; she always asked the same questions, "What makes you think this is your dream? I've told you before, this is _my _dream."

"Like hell it is, and if it is, dream about someone else. Bring your damn cheerleader in here and use the damn bed," she swirled around and stalked away from him, walking towards the only door they could see. He already knew she would never reach it; they've tried it many a time and never could reach it.

The dream room had appeared a few weeks ago, the room was a rather large spacious room, with steel blue walls and a rich dark gray carpet, the four poster bed with a king size bed which was as comfortable as a bed of feathers. It was covered in a blue-green comforter and full of pillows and sheer white curtains hung around the bed, each tied to a post. Marshall had pushed the pillows to the side to sit up against the plush headboard, feet crossed at the ankles.

He had tried researching the reasons for having this recurring dream, but he didn't have to research it. The fact that he had re-established their friendship had put a dent on their friendship was the main reason. He had only wanted to please Abigail and in doing so, he had pushed Mary away. He didn't know how to go back to what they had; she wouldn't let him step over that line he drew by asking her not to call him anymore. He leaned his head back against the headrest in resignation.

The fact that Abigail had ended their engagement along with their relationship was another cause for this dreams, he hadn't told Mary about his break-up. And not because he didn't trust her, but because he felt that he lost the right to tell her things.

"Mare, you know you won't reach that door, come back over here," he waited until he saw her turn back and walk back to him, still not touching the bed, trying not to even look at it.

"What?" she wrapped her arms around her chest and waited impatiently for him to say what he was going to say.

"I need to tell you something that I haven't told you," he started as he uncrossed his long outstretched legs and put his feet down on the carpet.

"What now? We can't talk either?" she snapped at him glaring at him.

He looked up shocked at her, "No, no no no, God Mare, I'm sorry. I really just…I don't know. But I think I might've…damn it, I don't know how to tell you."

"Just spit it out, that always works out"

"Abigail and I…we um…we broke up," he said as he looked up at her.

She stood there in silence before laughing, "Ha! I told you it was my dream!"

She moved rather quickly towards him and punched him in the arm, he winced before the fist touched him and jolted awake.

* * *

Marshall lay in bed his heart pounding in his ears and sat up, looking around his empty apartment, an apartment that Mary didn't even know existed. He sighed and fell back on the bed, "How can I tell you about Abigail and me if you're going to punch me?"

Mary sat up and looked around her bedroom, kicked her blankets off and walked out of her room to check on Norah. The dream room was really taking a toll on her; she was getting frustrated with not getting Marshall out of her head.

The dream room had started a few weeks after Stan had left Marshall in charge as the Chief of the ABQ Marshal's office. She had been sitting behind her desk, sipping from her coffee mug, minding her own business when Marshall walked in from a torrential downpour; a monsoon had hit early that morning and had been a real adventure to drive to work amid the hail.

Marshall stopped outside the gates and had shaken his raincoat off and shook his head around to get some of the water out, to Mary he had looked like a sexy model, her mouth watered and she sputtered her coffee all over her desk. She had never seen him than just a great best-friend and colleague, but now as she tried to dry her desk, she kept glancing his way. His wet shirt stuck to his chest, a chest she had once saw after he got shot. That time it had been a different circumstance and she hadn't been able to really look, now all she could do was try not to drool and clean her desk.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he walked through the gates and hang his coat on a hanger to dry near the balcony door.

"Yeah, fine, why wouldn't I be?" she said exasperated when he wouldn't leave and go to his office.

He shrugged as he tried to dry his shirt with a few of her napkins, when he couldn't manage to dry it, he started to unbutton his shirt and Mary just gaped, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Delia hung the phone and turned at her outburst, "Hey Chief, I see you got in a shower before joining us. Next time try taking _off_ your clothes first."

Marshall chuckled and looked strangely at Mary's outburst, "What?"

"What? Really? Maybe try getting naked in your office," she glared at him and when he continued taking his shirt off, she stormed off.

"What'd I do?" Marshall asked Delia as he walked over to his office, she only shrugged as she stared at Mary's retreating form.

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**TBC...Please review**


	2. Chapter 2

Mary spun around and faced her dream roommate, "This is really getting old."

Marshall grinned, "Did you know that it's not uncommon…"

"I don't want to know", Mary grumbled cutting him off as she strolled over to a wall and sliding down. She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees, not looking at Marshall or the bed.

He sighed and got off the bed, walked over to her, "Why don't you sit on the bed with me? It's pretty huge; you don't have to sit right next to me if you don't want."

"I'd rather not," her words muffled against her knees.

Marshall sat next to her and pulled his legs up, but unlike her, he just rested his arms over his knees and rested his head against the wall, "You want to tell me about the nightmares?"

"What nightmares?" this time she looked sideways at him and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

He turned his head to look at her and gave her a pointed look, "The ones you spoke about yesterday."

"I didn't…did I?"

"Yeah, you did. You said you'd rather be having nightmares than be here in this room with me," he said morosely.

"Oh" _Damn it, even when I don't try, hurt him._

"Oh? That's all I get? How can you want nightmares then to spend your dreams in my company?" he asked now offended that she didn't want his company in her dreams either. It wasn't enough that she kept him at arm's length at work, she had to exert her powers in his dreams as well.

"Don't you have nightmares?" she challenged him with a glare, "Don't we all have them? It's part of our fucked up lives."

He leaned his head back again and nodded, "Yeah, I guess it comes with the territory. Well, tell me yours anyways. We can try and kill time as it is."

"You tell me one first," she challenged into her knees.

He sighed guiltily and mumbled, "I'm always late…I come to the hospital and I'm always too late."

Mary lifted her head all the way up and looked at him with sadness in her eyes, she knew all too well how it felt to dream of your partner's death. That was one recurring dream of hers as well, not being able to help him in the diner.

"I'm still here," she murmured as she leaned her head against his shoulder, "I didn't die."

"Yeah I know," he kissed the top of her head before resting his head against hers.

He waited a bit and then sighed sadly when she didn't share a nightmare with him, but then again, awake Marshall hadn't been aware of Mary having nightmares. As he mused his relationship with his former partner he hadn't been aware that she was speaking softly into his ear, giving him goose bumps and causing his body to react strongly towards the soft voice.

"…running towards you and I never can reach you. I never come back in time to save you, I always get back to the diner and you're gone."

"But I'm not, I'm right here, alive," he reassures her, whispering into the crown of her head.

"Yeah, I know. We're both still here"

/

Mary's running late and barely jumps on the elevator before the doors close, she pushed the button to her floor and rides up.

As soon as she crosses the gates she abruptly stops when she spots Marshall standing by her desk, "Hey Chief, what's up?"

She walks over to her desk and flops down on her chair, swiveling around to see him.

He arched an eyebrow as he pointedly looks at his watch.

"I know, I know…I had to stop and see Carol at her job, she's having a hard time adjusting to her new life," she explained as she turned around to rummage through her files to take Carol's file out. "Here it is, let me just fill out the necessary paperwork and you can take a look."

"No need, carry on then," he started to walk away but stopped and turned back to her.

She frowned at his attitude and waited. He had been acting strange and with her dreams about him, it was really taking a toll on him.

"Hey Mare? Would you tell me if you were having nightmares?" he asked her looking curiously at her.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him and growled, "What? Where did that come from? I'm not having nightmares, not that I'm willing to share at least. Are _you _having nightmares?"

Marshall stared her down and when she didn't respond he turned back and said, "No, but with those dark circles under your eyes, that was my first thought."

"Dark circles?" she pushed herself away from her desk and hustled to the restroom, pushing the door open she walked over to the mirror and noticed the dark circles. She sighed heavily and leaned back against the sink, her head down. _You don't even want to start guessing what's keeping up at night Doofus. _

Marshall chuckled dryly when he saw her almost run to the restroom, "Oh Mare, wish you would confide in me."

He sat behind his desk and pulled paperwork in from of him, if he couldn't hold on to a best-friend or fiancée, he could at least try to hold on to his career in the Marshal service. But he promised himself to get back into Mary's life, even if it was the last thing he did.

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**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! And again sorry for taking forever to post this chapter. RL just sucks! Anyways, enjoy!**

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"Hi," Marshall greeted her when she appeared, her back always to him.

Mary turned and said, "Hey"

She walked towards the usual wall, but stopped when Marshall asked, "Mare, seriously. Why don't you sit on the bed?"

"Because I don't want to," she slid down her usual spot and tried to ignore him.

He sighed again before leaving the bed and joining her on the floor. Sliding down next to her he looked over the top of her head and said, "What's wrong with sitting on the bed?"

"Marshall, just leave it alone"

"Hey, it's your dream," he said, trying for reverse psychology.

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes, "Nice try doc"

He chuckled and shrugged, "Come on, what did the bed ever do to you?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "It's a _sex_ bed!"

"A sex bed?" he drawls as he looks up startled at the bed.

"Yup, a sex bed"

"What makes it a sex bed?" still looking at the bed, frowning and trying to figure out what made it a sex bed.

"Come on! Look at it…it's a sex bed!" she moves her hand up and down and all around trying to make her point with gestures.

Marshall grinned and asked, "What? You're afraid we'll have sex on the bed if we sit together?"

"In your dreams, buddy…"

He chuckled and then burst out laughing; he had not expected that response from her. Mary frowned and growled, "What's so damn funny?"

He pointed at the bed and then moved his hands between them and continued to laugh; tears were rolling down his face.

She scowled and growled, "Will you stop laughing and tell me what's so funny?"

Marshall wiped the tears from his face and finally managed to say, "It _is _my dream…"

"Pervis…" she threw a punch and startled awake a second before her clenched fist touched his arm.

"What the hell's _wrong_ with me?" Mary sat up and pushed her blankets off her, she felt like an insane person after waking from those dreams. They seemed so real and Marshall seemed like a dead ringer of himself. She was so confused; the dreams kept getting more real as the time flew by. The bed didn't help matters, it just kept getting better and better with each dream. She denied it to his face, but she _did_ indeed want to join him on the bed, but not just to sit around and wait for them to wake up. _Who's the pervis now?_ she thought with a groan.

After getting up for a glass of water and checking on Norah, she went back to bed, trying to analyze the dreams and figure out what was going on and why she was so dreamed obsessed over Marshall. She knew that one possible reason was that they were no longer in each other's lives. With him being her boss instead of her partner, it had woken something up in her. She had always known her partner was a handsome fellow, but for the past few weeks, maybe months, if she was honest with herself, she would realize that she saw him as more than a partner and best-friend when he became chief and asked her to release him.

She beat her pillows until she was exhausted and finally sleep claimed her, no dreams would come after the dream room.

* * *

Marshall sat up and got up off the bed, the dreams were taking a toll on him. _I need to tell Mare, but how do I tell her? Hey Mare, guess what…Abs and I broke it off, wanna be my friend again?_ He groaned and sat back down on his bed, his forearms resting on his knees, his head bent as he slouched forward and frustration.

He didn't understand how his life had lead to this very point, fiancée-less and his only friend keeping him at arms-length. He couldn't blame her for keeping her distance, he knew that it would be a possibility, but glad that she didn't just kick him to the curb and transfer.

After various futile attempts of going back to sleep, he turned to his alarm clock and noted it was already 4am. He went into this shower and started his day.

* * *

Mary sat behind her desk and kept glancing towards Marshall's office, she noticed a fatigue in him, but was afraid to question him. She sighed sadly and tried to ignore it, but the more she ignored it the more she worried. _Stop worrying Shannon; he has the cheerleader for that. He's just overworked at the office; just give him a few breaks in between so he doesn't fall over in exhaustion._ Working on paperwork not being her forte, she tried harder to make sure all her paperwork was filled out and turned in on time. Not to say that sometimes she would slack so he wouldn't suspect a thing or two.

Marshall caught her glancing his way and turned away immediately after getting caught, a pink hue on her cheekbones as she turned away and let her cascading blonde tresses fall over her face to cover up.

He stood up and walked over to her desk, "Hey Mare, you busy tonight?"

She looked up at him startled, "What?"

"Are you busy tonight? Do you want to get a drink after work?" he asked, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets. He as if it was the first time he asked a girl out, his hands were very sweaty.

"Can't...uh...I got Norah and she's teet...maybe next time," she curbed her admission of Norah's teething because she didn't want him to think he had to be in her life or help her.

"Norah's teething?" he asked softly at her bent head.

"Yup"

"That must be hard"

She shrugged and continued working on her paperwork, he sighed and murmured, "Well, maybe next time then."

Mary felt him walk back to his office and sighed in relief, she couldn't let him too close, and releasing him hadn't been easy but necessary, maybe even crucial to his happiness.

"Hey Mare, are you busy?" Delia asked from across the room, she was washing her hands on the sink.

Turning to her partner she shook her head, "No, what's up?"

"I need to go see Mark and Daisy, you mind tagging along?" Delia looked through her paperwork until she found the Denison's file, she waved the file at Mary with an arched eyebrow in question.

"Of course, let me just log out and then we can head out," turning back to her computer she finished what she was working on logged off. She could feel Marshall staring her way.

She rounded her desk and called out to him, "Night Chief, see you tomorrow."

"Night Mare, night Delia"

"Night Marshall," Delia said as she walked by his office, waving and flashing him her bright smile.

He watched them and then left his office once he heard the elevator doors ding closed. He thrust his hands in his pants pockets again and sighed in regret, _another day without letting her know about the breakup. She's going to kill me if she finds out from someone else._

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**TBC...Just a little FYI, the rating will go up to an M rating soon. Reviews are always greatly appreciated! XOXOXOXOXO**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for the delay! I'll try with all my might to post more regularly.**

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Mary rolled over and stretched, a huge smile on her face, Marshall had not visited her dreams the previous night. She sat up, pushed the blankets off and got out of bed while humming the entire time. She usually wasn't a morning person, but the fact that she had finally escaped the dream realm where Marshall was her roommate gave her the ultimate high.

That is until, she walked into her adjoining bathroom and looked herself in the mirror, there in her eyes, she could see the sadness that she wouldn't let herself feel. She shook off the feeling, turned the shower on and undressed before getting under the hot water spray.

After she was done with her morning routine, she went to find Norah; the tot was sitting on her crib and stood immediately after spotting her mother at her bedroom door.

"Morning Bug," she walked to the crib and pulled the 10 month old child up in her arms, blowing raspberries on the child's belly.

"Mama!" Norah giggled and held onto Mary's damp hair.

"Come on, breakfast is awaiting"

An hour later, still on her high she dropped Norah off at Mark's place before driving to work. She swiped her card on the gate doors and walked into the office. She saw Delia in the conference office on her cell phone, she looked over to Marshall's office and saw him on his office phone, he didn't look happy at all. Not like his usual self, she noted that he was still wearing the same clothes from the previous day.

Then it hit her, her happy demeanor vanished the moment her eyes saw him, she had really missed him the previous night, her chest felt tight. Even when she ignored him in her dreams, she at least had him.

Mary frowned as she sat behind her desk, shrugged off the feeling of forgetting something, something that was supposed to be important. She had just logged onto her computer when she saw Marshall slam the phone down. She looked over to his office and waited to see if he would let her know what had upset him. Then remembered that they didn't share anymore.

Marshall had seen Mary enter the office with a calm smile on her face and scowled, he hadn't left the office because of a witness that needed to get transferred to Albuquerque, NM. He had been dealing with the final details of the new witness to even go home, meaning that he hadn't slept the previous night. He hadn't dreamed of his Mary, and he sorely missed her. At this point, he didn't care that she ignored him and the stupid sex bed; at least they were together, a team.

He walked out and stopped by her desk, "Morning Mare, had a good night?"

She looked up at him startled, she had not been expecting that question, "Uh…yeah I guess, could've been better…"

She didn't elaborate and he nodded as he saw Delia through the glass in the conference room, "Delia's going on a witness transfer and no, you're not going this time."

"What do you mean; I'm not going this time? What the hell's that about?" Mary stood up and walked around her desk to stand toe to toe with her Chief.

"Mare, I need you here, Cheryl needs you here," he explained as he reminded her about her new witness that hadn't had a good transfer and was still reeling about it.

"Cheryl will be fine for a day or two," she scoffed as she walked over to the kitchenette to get a cup of coffee.

Marshall followed close behind, checking out her behind since she couldn't see him doing it, "No, you know the signs are there, she's ready to do something and we can't risk you being gone for her to pull something off."

She turned and leaned against the counter as she watched Marshall take down his own mug to pour himself another cup of coffee, "What number is that?"

He looked down at the coffee and grimaced, he didn't have to ask what she was talking about, he already knew, he understood her language and how fast she would change subjects, "Uh…20? I lost count after 5."

"I could've stayed late and helped with this transfer I'm not going on," she muttered as she took a sip of her too hot coffee.

"I know," and he _did_ know, but he also knew that spending the night at the office opposed to spending it with her daughter wasn't something he wanted to take from her.

The day was spent running around getting Delia ready for her transfer and Mary trying to tie her witness down before she made too much damage. By the time it was time for Mary to go home, she didn't fight to stay and went home to go to sleep. Dream Marshall awaited and she couldn't wait.

* * *

She stood for a minute, letting herself adjust to the dream before she slowly pivoted around and found him sitting on the bed.

She smiled, "Welcome back"

He grinned his dorky grin and nodded, "it's good to be back, I guess you missed me last night?"

"Yeah right, that'll be the day I shoot myself. What's to miss?" but her smile contradicted her words.

"Oh I can think of a thing or two"

"Mmm-hmm"

She walked over to the wall and he stopped her, "Mare, come on. I promise this isn't a sex bed."

Mary turned and glared at him, "Fine!"

She moved over and made him get off before she pulled the comforter, pillows and the hanging curtains, leaving only the mattress and headboard intact.

"There, that's better," she climbed up and sat at the end of the bed against a post across from him.

"You just got rid of everything that makes this bed comfortable," Marshall mock complained as he climbed up and sat against the headboard smiling over at her.

"Sex beds are normally very comfortable, this is better," she shrugged and smirked at him.

"If you say so"

"I do and if you keep talking about it, you'll have to find someplace else to sit"

"Hey! I sat here first"

"So? I sat here last"

"Fine…"

She grinned and pumped her fist, "Yes! I won. I love it when I win."

"So?"

"So…"

"How's Norah?"

"She's fine, actually she's great. She's teething and it's a headache, but it's part of having a kid, right? I never thought I'd feel this…this…damn, I can't even explain it. She's one of the reasons I've adapted to change."

The look of awe on her face had Marshall falling head over heels in love with her yet again. _How the hell did I think I was over her? Or even think of marrying another woman? I'm a damn idiot, that's why!_

"Yeah, I can guess, what are the other reasons?"

She looked questioningly at him, "What do you mean?"

"You said, _one_ of the reasons you've adapted to change. What other reasons are there?" he inquired curiously looking at her closely. His dream Mary was a dream and was sharing more with him within this dream then the previous dreams.

She blushed looked away, head down letting her hair cover her face, "I don't know…having you as a Chief instead of a partner, I've had to change in the ways I treat my witnesses and such."

"Hmm"

Mary looked up and frowned, "Hmm, what? Are you now my psychiatrist? If you have something on your mind, speak it, don't' hmmm it!"

"No no no, of course not, I'm just glad that you've made changes that make you happy"

"I didn't _say_ they made me _happy_, I don't think there's anything out there that makes me _happy_," she air quoted, knowing full well that there was someone out there that could make her happy but she had screwed him over too many times to count and shrugged, "But for Norah and…" she stopped and shook her head, "For Norah I'm willing to do a lot of things."

"Unconditional love"

She smiled and nodded slowly, "Pretty much"

Marshall grinned and said, "Oh no! A pod person is being born."

Mary reached down and plucked a pillow from the floor and tossed it at his head, he caught it and held it against his chest, and it was a heart shaped pillow.

* * *

Mary startled awake and grinned, she turned on her side and fell asleep, hoping dream Marshall would come back to her.

Marshall groaned awake and pulled the other pillow into his arms, he grinned into the pillow and slept with thoughts of Mary on the sex bed.

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**TBC...hope you enjoyed and it wasn't too long.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews!**

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They lay in bed together, each with their legs stretched out towards each other's heads. Mary rested her intertwined fingers over her stomach, Marshall had his hands under his head, both had their legs crossed at the ankle.

"I'm bored…" she complained.

Marshall chuckled, he knew what came next, more complaining about the fact that they were stuck in this dream and couldn't do much.

"Well, let's play a game…" he started.

She sat up with a pillow in hand, "If I wasn't so sure this would wake you, I would definitely be tempted to suffocate you with it."

He laughed and sat up, his grin still in place, "I'm serious, let's make…"

"Seriously Marshall, what game? Huh? Is there a box full of games I missed? Are they tucked under this damn bed?" she turned and jumped off the bed, going on her knees just to spite him.

"Okay fine, you come up with something," he lay back down and sighed heavily. They always started out fine and ended fighting.

She stood up and glared at him, "Okay, let me think…"

He shot her a look and waited for her to come up with something.

"No…not that…hmm…wait, maybe…no…" she kept thinking and kept coming up empty. "Ugh! Okay, I got it. This is my dream; we can conjure things up in our dreams, right?"

Marshall sat up and stared at her before he wagged his head in agreement.

"Okay," she closed her eyes and held her hands out as if holding up a tray. A minute passed, and then another and nothing appeared.

"Damn it! I was trying to conjure up a game board of something," she twirled around and fell on her back onto the bed.

"Maybe since it's _my _dream, I can conjure something up?" he asked as he closed his eyes and held his hands out.

"Doofus, I already told you, this is my dream," she muttered under her breath as she studied his lashes as they lay on his cheeks, they were long and as dark as his hair. Suddenly his eyes sprang open and blue gaze stared right back at her, blinding her with their brightness, "Okay, nothing happened. Come over here, maybe if we held hands…"

"Pervis, I'm not going to touch you while we're on this bed," she said with an eye roll, she got off the bed and circled around it to his side of the bed.

He jumped off and stood in front of her, his hands in front of his waiting for hers to settle over his. Mary stared at his long fingered hands and gulped, _the things I can make him do with those fingers._ She closed her eyes and muffled a moan.

She placed her hands over his and almost shuddered at the feel of his soft hands, unlike hers that were rough from spending all her free time at the firing range. They held hands for a few minutes, neither wanting to let go, but as time went by nothing appeared.

They opened their eyes and she pulled her hands free, folding her arms across her chest she smirked at him, "Told you it was my dream and I'm sure I couldn't conjure up any stupid board game because I don't like them."

"Surprising, Mary Shannon doesn't like something," he drawled sarcastically.

Mary took a swing at him and woke up as she almost toppled out of bed, "Ugh! I'm so gonna get you next time."

Marshall woke and flinched expecting her punch to land, but when it never did he opened his eyes and sighed, "What else did I expect from her?"

* * *

Mary walked into the office after going on a witness visit and saw Marshall talking to Davis, one of the inspectors in the WITSEC office. Her first instinct was to punch him, but thought twice about it because he would expect an explanation and another reason would be because they stopped being partners and friends some time ago.

She sighed sadly and walked to her desk; Marshall must've caught her sigh and walked over to her desk, "Everything okay, Mare?"

"Huh? Yeah, why?" she didn't even look up at him.

"Just asking, you look rather melancholy about something"

_Don't say melancholy, _she thought as she shrugged nonchalantly, "Don't worry about it, all's good with the witnesses."

"That's not what I meant…"

"I know and I'd rather not get into the other," she said with finality as she pulled her paperwork in front of her and started going through them.

"My door's always open for you, even when it's locked," he murmured as he leaned over her desk, she closed her eyes when she felt his presence and could smell his own personal smell so close to her.

She pushed away from her desk and glared up at him, "No, no it's not. You made it perfectly clear when we stood outside on the balcony, that your door was slammed shut."

"Mare…"

"No, let's make your door a vault with no password," she muttered as she pulled back against her desk and started typing on her computer. She didn't need real life Marshall when she had dream Marshall, even if she couldn't hit him.

"I'm sorry," he turned and left.

She looked up and around, Delia had been the only witness to their whispering, Davis was too engrossed on his computer to notice, _men._

* * *

Mary turned and saw Marshall waiting on the sex bed, she walked over to him and punched him.

She woke and groaned, "Damn it Shannon, could've waited a while before you hit him."

Marshall sat up and grinned, "That's my girl."

* * *

**TBC...this is going to start getting a bit...hmm...frisky? lol not sure how hot i want to make this. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews! To those that are confused, Marshall and Mary can touch, just not physically hurt each other in the dreams. Trust me, there's going to be more touching and it's going to get interesting. Again, sorry for not posting regularly like when I first started. I'll try to be better about posting. Still don't own IPS! ;p**

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Marshall walked into the office and swiped his card before pushing the gate open; he saw Mary by the coffee pot, but not pouring herself a mug. She was rubbing her shoulder and elbow and wincing in pain.

"What happened?" he asked walking towards her.

Delia answered for her without realizing that their dynamic had changed, "Norah has started walking and almost walked off the bed, actually she _did _walk off that bed, causing my partner here…"

She stopped talking because Mary was shooting her a _shut up! _glare and that scared her into silence.

Before he could place a hand on her shoulder she took a step away from him, "Nothing to worry about."

"And Norah?" he asked concerned.

She rolled her eyes at him, "She's fine."

He sighed when she didn't add more, "When did she start to walk?"

His curiosity annoyed her, "Don't"

Marshall looked over his shoulder to Delia, seeing that she was still looking at them, he said, "Well, I've been told that I give a good massage. Do you want me to rub…"

Mary shot him a look and smirked, "Yeah, I bet you'd like to _rub_ me Pervis. Forget about it, I'll live."

Delia laughed and shook her head, "Leave the Chief alone Mary, he's just trying to be nice."

"Yeah, I'm sure he's just trying to be _nice,"_ she didn't bother looking his way again.

Later when Marshall saw that Mary was still rubbing her shoulder and he was sure that Delia was engrossed at her desk he walked over to Mary's desk and asked, "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should get an x-ray."

"I'm fine"

"When did Norah start walking?"

She shot him a dirty look and warned, "Don't"

"Don't what? Ask about Norah? Am I not allowed to know for some reason?" he asked curiously, his eyes turned sad.

"Marshall, I don't need to remind you that you wanted to take a step back"

"Keeping your personal life from me is not what I meant."

"Yeah well, we can't all have what we want, right?"

"And what do you want?"

_You. I want my best-friend back._ "It doesn't matter what I want Marshall, but there are things that are better off left alone."

"So, Norah is on that list? How can you ask me to do that?" he sounded hurt and Mary looked up at him, her green eyes locking with his remorseful blue, "Huh, probably the same way you asked me release you."

Mary knew that it was a low blow, but she needed that space he had requested. Especially now, when her feelings for him had changed into something that confused her beyond belief, and the dreams were definitely not helping. Their eyes locked and both looked into each other's eyes, searching for something and coming up empty. He blinked and looked out the window, with a curt nod he turned and left her.

* * *

Mary turned and saw him sitting on her usual spot on the floor, his forehead resting on his knees.

"Hey"

He didn't respond.

She moved over to him and stooped down to his level, "What's wrong?"

"I've screwed everything up and you won't forgive me. You can't even start to understand how hard it was for me to have that conversation with you and now I can't even ask about Norah," he said reproachful.

Mary stood up and walked away from him, that had seemed more like real Marshall than she'd like. But in her mind, Mary knew that it was just a dream world she had concocted because she missed her best-friend so much. The fact that he was being more like the real Marshall was simply because she wanted real Marshall back in her life but afraid that if she pushed for more, he would completely break whatever friendship was still there.

She sighed sadly and jumped on the sex-bed, even without the pillows it always felt like a sexy bed.

"Come use your awesome great hands on my shoulder"

She had thrown caution to the wind and waited to see if he would take the bait. If this was the only way to have him, so be it.

It had only taken Marshall all of ten seconds to recuperate his shock and jump up onto the bed, he crawled closer to her, running his eyes all over her face, her eyes were closed, which gave him the opportunity to really look at her.

"Turn over"

Mary smiled and opened one eye, arching an eyebrow, "Well that was quick."

Marshall chuckled and shook his head, "It's better if I start from behind your shoulder, to loosen the strain a bit."

"Sure, Casanova"

She turned over on her belly and waited patiently for him to start, he didn't know where to start, he was finally going to be able to touch her without it being work related.

"Okay, here goes nothing"

Mary moan in appreciation, Marshall shut his eyes and clenched his teeth at what he felt were her sex noises, his body reacted and he prayed they would wake from this dream before he was done with the massage.

* * *

**TBC...This is about to jump rating to an M in the next 2 chapters. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for the reviews! UPDATED! **

* * *

Hands glide over her back and shoulder; she couldn't suppress the moan or even the shudder that ran through her body. His hands were the answer to all of her body's questions and she couldn't understand how it had taken her this long to realize it. How could a dream feel so real? She didn't want him to ever stop, in this world it was just the two of them.

"Oh God!" she gasped in pleasure as he pressed harder on her flesh.

Marshall sat astride her thighs with his eyes clenched shut, it was a miracle to be this close and not surrender to his feelings. Her moans and groans along with her body's warmth kept bringing him so close to the edge.

He had started massaging her three days ago and every time they entered this realm, she would bounce on the bed and spread herself on her belly and thrust her thumb to her hurt shoulder. He wondered if she was still in pain, if he didn't know better she was just using him for free massages.

Mary reveled under his strong hands, hands that had never done anything to hurt her, she sighed happily. She may not have him in the real world, which to her it seemed more like a nightmare without her best friend, but having him here in her own little world was enough. She felt him tense a few times and wondered what was going on in that head of his.

"What's wrong?" she muffled, her face buried in the bedspread.

Marshall's eyes sprung open and it was a big mistake, her words at moments like this, he learned that every time she had spoken before his body had reacted against his best intentions. He panicked and almost punched her, which had been his way to escape whenever his body got too much for him to handle.

Up until now, the only thing they could figure out about the dream world was that anytime one tried to cause the other pain it would wake them. So, every time his body would begin to stir while he massaged her shoulder he would throw a punch, hence waking them up. He was sure she didn't know he was doing it since the punch would never reach its target.

"Nothing, why do you ask?" he continued his massage.

"You're just…I don't know…acting strange?"

"Are you asking me if I'm acting strange?"

"No, jerk! But you're just not being you"

He frowned and looked down at her; she had turned her face enough to see him through the corner of her eye.

"Well, I promise that I'm the same me as always"

She let him continue the massage, but she could feel the tension even in his hands now.

"Okay, move…"

He moved over her and leaned back against the headboard, his knees pulled up against his body, hiding any sign of his body reactions to hers, he didn't really looking at her, just sighed heavily at the loss.

Mary turned and leaned back against one of the bedposts and tilted her head as she studied his expression, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why does something have to be wrong?" he asked with a frown.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that for the past three days I've massaged your shoulder and you haven't said if the massages are working or not and I'm also thinking that I'd like to do more."

She turned and hopped off the bed, "More?"

"Yes more"

"Like what kind of more?" she looked back at him wearily.

He gave her a pointed look and sighed, resting his head back against the headboard, "Not _that _more. We can talk, more."

She walked over to the end of the bed and started to pace, "Talk more about what?"

"I don't know, how's Norah? How's Brandi handling motherhood? Is Jinx still doing the dance studio thing?" he rambled out a few questions he had wanted to ask but hadn't had the courage to ask them.

"Norah's fine, Brandi…uh…she's not…well, she's Brandi and Jinx is still twirling around with a bunch of five year olds and loving it," Mary sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him and answered his questions.

"Mare?"

"What?"

"Look at me"

"Why?"

"Because I want to talk to your face not the back of your head, please"

"Fine" she turned and rolled her eyes at him, she jumped back on the bed and leaned against the bedpost she had abandoned.

"Thank you, I just…I miss my best-friend, I miss talking to my best-friend, I don't know how to put us back together again and that's really killing me," his words pleading for her to help him figure it out.

She grimaced and shook her head, "It's not easy Marshall, I had to give you space…and why the hell am I talking to you like you're the real Marshall?"

Marshall stared at her and then chuckled, "Still think this is your dream?

"I don't think, I know…why would lovebird-almost-about-to-get-married Marshall dream about me? He certainly doesn't want my friendship anymore," she snarled at him sarcastically while glaring at him.

He just looked at her and sighed, "You don't have to be so sarcastic, I'm just trying to figure this out too, you know."

She got up and walked over to him, tapping him lightly on the chest, "Of course you are, always the helpful fella. I think it's silly of you to keep thinking this is your dream, as far as I can tell, you are just a figment of my imagination."

"Mare, I'm pretty sure that I've been going through some things that I would like to talk you about and I haven't been able to in the real world, hence the reason we're here," he stated with a smartass smirk on his face. "I'm serious though, we should do something while we're here. We can at least talk about something more than just how annoying I can be."

"Prove it, if this is your dream, tell me a secret," she challenged.

It was his turn to glare at her, "I could just make up something and you wouldn't know if it was true or not."

"Tell me anyways," not backing down.

"I'm not getting married"

"HA! I told you this was my dream!" Mary rolled onto the bed, she began to jump up and down in celebration, "I win, you lose…"

"I see London, I see France…" he started to sing and Mary stopped jumping and turned to him.

Looking down at her clothes, she saw that she had fallen asleep wearing only a long t-shirt that demurely reached high above her knees, but when jumping it went all the way up causing Marshall to see her lacy panties.

"Pervis"

"Hey! I didn't mean to look," he said in disbelief.

She sat down on the bed and tucked her feet under her, "Well, just don't. That's such a pervy thing to do."

"Yeah, cause that matters in this dream. I could do anything right now and no one would ever even know"

As if to prove a point, he crawled over to her side of the bed and reached out to touch her chest. There was no way in hell Mary was going to let dream Marshall _think_ he had any power in HER dream. She pulled back and threw a punch.

* * *

She yelped as she fell out of bed, tangled in her sheets, "Pervis!"

Mary growled at the sheets and cursed at the inability to harm him in the damn dream, she really believed Marshall deserved a black eye for trying to cop a feel. Then after careful consideration she smiled, she couldn't believe Marshall had almost touched her inappropriately. _What the hell am I doing? Why do you continue to come into my dreams? I almost let my best-friend touch me. I miss you too my friend, I miss you too._

* * *

Marshall awoke and groaned into his pillows, rolling over onto his belly, he had almost touched her, even if it was in a dream, he had almost touched her._ You're definitely a pervis today, my friend. I'm not even surprised she almost hit me, thank God for that no-harm rule. _He would be walking funny otherwise.

* * *

The next morning, Mary was talking to Delia when Marshall walked into the office. She shot him a glaring look and he frowned at her, not understanding what had caused her to get mad at him, again.

"Something the matter Mary?" Delia asked as she looked at the Chief and noted that he was just confused at Mary's look.

"No, nothing's the matter, only some _pervis_ came to mind," she muttered loud enough for Marshall to hear and turned back to the topic of their conversation.

Marshall was glad that Mary turned her back to him, the look of shocked surprise hit him and he could tell that Delia caught onto him, without really knowing what it had meant.

He walked into his office and closed the door, he started a search on how real a dream could be. _Are we really together in our dreams? Is she really in my dreams? What the hell does it mean? Can we really share dreams? How the hell did this happen? Does she know? Can she feel it? _

He spent most of the day trying to figure it out, but by the end of the night, he gave up the search and went home to dream about his favorite girl.

* * *

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

After putting Norah to bed, she crawled under her blankets, thinking about being mad at Marshall mostly all day. _Why am I mad at him? Why the hell am I blaming him? I'm the pervert! It's my damn dream. I'm the pervis for giving him the liberty to think that we can do more in the dream. How much more can there be anyways? I know we can't hurt each other, but what else can't we do that will cause us to wake up? Damn, what's the worst that can happen if I let him cop a feel? _

She rolled over and buried her blushing face into her pillow; just the thought of Marshall touching her inappropriately had her on edge. She didn't know how to handle those feelings and it was driving her mad. She started to think of anything that wasn't the dream; she didn't want to dream of him again. It was getting harder and harder to wake up and realize that they weren't close anymore. It was even harder to realize that she _needed_ more from him, even if it was a dream.

* * *

"Something must be really wrong with me," she groaned when she found herself in the dream again. Try as hard as she could, she was stuck with him in her dreams.

"You just can't help that you like me," he grinned at her with a wink.

"Don't wink, that's just weird. Plus, I don't like you this much, especially not after what you tried last time," glaring at him as she sighed heavily, keeping her distance. "The worst part is that it's like my subconscious is making you do this."

"Hey! I'm sorry, I was out of line, but I still think this is pretty much my dream. That should help you not to feel guilty for what happened last time, maybe I've wanted to do that for some time," Marshall got an idea to prove to them both that this was his dream and not hers, or the possibility that he was starting to believe that it was _their _dream.

Mary rolled her eyes, turning her back to him, "Yeah, why don't I just go with that little theory."

She sat on the bed without removing the comforter or pillows, Marshall stepped closer but not too close to cause her to hit him or try in this case.

"Whatever you want to think, that's fine," he shrugged. "But I'm serious, it doesn't matter what we do or don't do here, it's not going to make any difference once we wake up to the real world."

"Marshall, seriously, it makes a difference if I let my best-friend – or in this case my _boss_ – feel me up, even if it's subconsciously, I will know once I wake up. It'll actually be worse if it's all in my head; I wouldn't be able to blame you."

"Then pretend I'm someone else, I'm only imaginary according to you."

She rolled her eyes heavenward at that and shook her head, "Don't you think I've been trying to imagine you were someone else from the get go? And who should I pretend you were? It's no use, I've gone crazy."

He chuckled, "I'll give you another back rub."

Mary narrowed her eyes and arched an eyebrow, "What's the catch?"

"You let me touch your boobs," he said nonchalantly with a shrug. He knew he was about to get punched, but he was just trying to have fun with her. Life wouldn't be normal for them if she didn't try to hit him or if he didn't tease her. He threw that deal out there knowing that she would refuse.

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, "You…you…oh my God, I always knew you were a pervis. Boobs?! What are you, in grade school? Lil' Marshall wanna touch my knockers, breasts, tatas, twins…"

He shrugged at her sarcastic antics, "It would actually benefit both of us, you get a massage – and don't try to deny you love my hands – and I'll just touch your…" he pointed at her chest, "We'll both win in this case."

She stared at him intrigued, the suggestion had come as a surprise, but she couldn't kid herself, she had wanted him to touch her. She couldn't deny the coil of heat that course through her body when he asked to touch her, she definitely enjoyed his hands on her back. The fact was that she was afraid of the Pandora box that she was ready to open with him. Would they be able to close it? Will she want to close it? What if she wanted the Pandora box opened in the real world? How would she handle seeing him in the real world if they crossed that line? Would she be able to look him in the eyes? She continued to stare at him, trying to make up her mind, but then came to the realization that here was the only time she could actually be real with him. Here was the only time her emotions wouldn't hurt her.

"No talking," she said seriously pointing a finger at him. "No sounds of any kind while you touch me."

"Deal" he agreed immediately. He couldn't believe that she had agreed. _Oh my God, I can't believe she fell for it. Am I gonna be able to touch her? Oh GOD! _

Mary crawled up onto the bed and lay on her stomach and closed her eyes. As hard as she wanted to imagine someone else, Marshall's hands were the ones she felt and caused her glorious pleasure.

Marshall placed his hands exactly how he had done in the previous dreams and began to massage her, it seemed like her flesh was warmer than normal. He applied just enough pressure to cause her to moan in satisfaction. The sensations were not only affecting her by the sexual sounds she is making, but he could feel it in his body as well. As before, he clenches his jaw and eyes tight shut, he needed to focus on giving her the massage that would ensure that she relaxed.

She felt her body crawl with goose bumps, his hands were magic and she was his assistant. She groaned in pleasure yet again and arched her back against his hands, he was pressing her pressure points between her shoulder blades and she melted.

No sooner had the massage started, when Marshall rolled off her unto his stomach, he wasn't sure he would be able to touch her now. Wearing PJs in a dream was just like in real life, they tended to tent when being pushed.

"Time's up, my turn"

Mary rolled onto her side and glared at him, "That wasn't long enough"

He shrugged at her, he could feel his body relax and he was able to sit up without embarrassing himself in front of her, "It was long enough, my turn now."

She glared at him as she slid off the bed, facing him with her hands beside her, "Fine!"

He reached towards her breasts and she had to shut her eyes, the urge to punch him to wake up grew. But she knew that wasn't fair, he had given her a massage for the pleasure of touching her. She groaned inwardly as she felt his hand finally cup her full breast in his hand, without looking she knew she fit his hand perfectly.

Marshall had entered another universe the moment his hand cupped her full breast, he held it – weighing the hot flesh – trying to memorize its weight in his hand. He looked up and saw her frown tremble with her eyes closed shut. Looking down he could see the protrusion on her shirt, he rubbed his thumb over the nub and she shuddered, her lips had opened slightly as if trying to take in as much breath as she could.

Mary couldn't take it, she opened her eyes to meet his staring straight at her. Their eyes locked and Marshall continued his ministrations on her breast. She felt strange that the experience wasn't turning her off, more like the total opposite. She flushed as he pressed against her flesh before his thumb continued the stroking.

She could feel her body start to heat up in response to his, their eyes couldn't look away from the other and right before she felt a moan rip through, she said huskily, "Okay, that's enough."

He shook his hand as he reached towards her other breast with his other hand, but before his hand could reach its intended target, she took a swing at him.

* * *

Mary gasped out loud as she found herself on her bed, alone. She groaned in frustration and rolled out of bed. Her body was tense and on edge, she couldn't shake off the arousal coursing through her body. Going into the bathroom, she shrugged out of her long t-shirt and panties, she turned the shower on and jumped in before the water started to warm up.

"Damn it Marshall, that was the biggest mistake I could've done," she growled at him. She pounded the shower walls in an attempt to get rid of the images in her head of him holding her breast in his hand and his darkening eyes. Eyes she had seen that same color one other time, the night of Trina's bachelorette party.

* * *

Marshall sat up and rubbed his face, the dreams kept getting worst, or in this case had gotten a little too good just before she had woken them. He couldn't shake the fact that it felt like they were really in the same dream together, his doubt were diminishing at a faster rate.

He lay in his bed and tried to ignore the tent on his blankets, he couldn't and didn't want to stop thinking of the flesh that had lain in his hand and the thumb that had the pleasure to still feel her nub on it.

"How the hell will I be able to look at her without getting a stiffy?" he groaned into his pillow, pulling it against his body, he would be in agony for the rest of the night.

* * *

**TBC...should this move to M rating? Please let me know.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Marshall was pouring himself a cup of coffee when Mary walked into the office, she shot him a dirty look, causing him to blush and practically run into his office.

Mary looked away too fast, missing the blush that flushed his face before hearing him walk back into his office, the door was left ajar and she sat behind her desk. Even though she knew that it had been in her head, she felt better blaming him.

The rest of the day was spent with both avoiding the other. Enough that at one point, Mary was rinsing her mug when Marshall left his office and had a stare off before trying to look at anything but each other.

Delia could feel the tension, "Is everything okay?"

They both were relief to get their attention called by someone else, "Fine."

"Just dandy," Mary said before going over to her desk, "Going on witness visits"

Marshall saw her leave and stared on after she had gotten into the elevator, it was obvious that he wasn't the only one having that dream. _How do I even break it to her? It's not going to be easy._

He hadn't noticed the younger inspector still staring at him, but jumped when Delia asked, "Are you sure everything is okay?"

He swirled around, blushing furiously and looked guiltily at her, "Ye-yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"You two have been actually rather weird lately, something I need to know?" she stared at him with an arched eyebrow.

"No…no…uh, nothing to know"

"Does she know about the inspector?"

Marshall turned his back at Delia with a frown, "How'd you find out?"

"I'm not called the water-cooler for nothing," she turned back to her desk and looked over her shoulder at him, watching him retreat back to his office.

He stopped at the threshold and said, "Let me tell her"

Delia didn't have to ask who he was referring to.

* * *

"You don't play fair," she heard the second she appeared in the room.

She whirled around and glared at him, "You were trying to milk it, no pun intended"

"I was only touching your breast, which by the way was the deal we made, I give you a much needed massage and you let me touch," he waved at her chest with a slight blush on his cheekbones.

"Well, you were taking too long, longer than my massage was," frowning she rested her hands on her waist.

"No I wasn't! I only held your breast for like a second!"

"Oh, hell no! It was longer than a damn second and you know it," she argued as her glare came back.

"A deal is a deal, what happened to keeping ones word?" he arched an eyebrow at her, not sure where he was going anymore. He was 98% sure that they were in the same dream, but how to convince himself 100%?

"I keep my words asshole, unlike some other people I know," she snarled at him, muttering the end.

He hadn't heard the last part and continued to reprimand her, "What you need to do is play fair and not negate the deals made."

"Or what?" she challenged, arching an eyebrow at him. "What's gonna happen if I don't?"

She chuckled as she rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, a mistake on her part. She meant to walk around to her side of the bed, but the next thing she knew, she was on her back. Marshall straddling her hips with her arms pinned above her head, he had tackled her as soon as she turned her back to him.

"Don't test me, Mare. I'm sure I can come up with the perfect torture within this realm. Don't forget I'm stronger than you," he grinned down at her with a devilish sparkle in his stormy blue eyes.

"What the hell Marshall! Get…off…me," she growled up at him as she squirmed under him, she was inwardly freaking out, her body had gone from lukewarm to furnace hot. She had never entertained the idea of getting tied down and going all BDSM, but with Marshall straddling her she couldn't even think straight.

"Nuh-uh," he held her hands with one of his and reached over his shoulder pulling his shirt over and off.

"What the hell are you doing?" she stopped her struggles in shock to stare at his lightly matted chest, seeing for the second time his muscled chest, for a scrawny looking man he definitely had a defined muscle toned chest.

"Well, I'm about to tie you down, after this I'm sure you're going to want to beat me, causing us to wake up and to tell you the truth, I'm not ready to leave," he chuckled at her futile attempts to get him off. _She's going to kill me when she finds out this is real and I'm going to die with a shit-eating grin._

"You're so dead when I get free," she said through gritted teeth. He wasn't aware of the internal battle with her body, she ached for his touch - needed his touch - even if it was just a dream she would remember once awoken.

He used the shirt to make-shift a rope to tie her hands together above her head, she hated herself for getting hot and bothered at his ministrations.

"So, let's see how long this holds up," he muttered as he finished his job.

She tried to push him off but he just got off her, grinning at her as he sat across from her. She tested the bonds, but she knew he had been a boy scout and it would take a little time to get them off.

"What now? What are you going to do to me?" she asked apprehensively, her head down trying to cover her face with her hair, she didn't want him seeing her flushed face let alone the heat in her eyes.

"You make me sound like a sexual predator, ready to pounce and take advantage of you. Not that I couldn't if I chose to, its just too hard to be too rough with you, it just seems too real, know? Like we're really here together," he looked at her, trying to see what she was thinking about what he had just said.

"Not that again," she groaned tilting her head back and shaking her head, "You just happen to be in my dreams, more than I'd like, but that's just it. Dreams."

Marshall shook his head, "No, listen to me, do you ever wonder if we're both actually here? Having the same dream together?"

She sat there staring at him, thinking, "It doesn't make any sense, stuff like this only happens in books or movies."

"Anything is possible, us being here together is a really big possibility, you're just not thinking the big picture."

"And what _is _the big picture Mr. Know-it-all?" she mocked. "Do you have proof? How are you going to prove that we're as real here as in the real dreamless world?"

He frowned at her dismissal, but even now he knew that this was as real as it got, the problem with him getting sidetracked was that while he was trying to figure a way to convince her, Mary had been busy undoing the bonds tied on her wrists.

"I'll prove it tomorrow, or when we're both in the office," he began to backpedal as he saw the look in her eyes, she was going to pounce and exact revenge.

"How?" she asked curiously as she got up on her haunches.

Marshall stopped backpedaling and smiled his trademark goofy smile, "Salmon"

"The fish?" she jumped and landed straddling his waist and raised her fist in the air, not waiting for a reply she punched him.

* * *

"Doofus! Payback is a bitch and I'm the biggest one you'll find!" she sat up and kicked the blankets off. _Salmon?! What the hell does that damn fish have to with these dreams?_

She couldn't go back to sleep after waking up and a sleepless Mary was a more-than-usual cranky Inspector. The whole office would pay for it.

* * *

Marshall raised his hands to cover the blow and froze, he cracked open an eye and saw himself back in his lonesome bedroom.

"She's going to kill me," he chuckled as he sat up and looked over at his bedside table, the clock showed 4:22am. He rolled to his side and snuggled under his blankets, pulling the Mary-pillow against his chest. Falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the review! I need to apologize in advance to those who are reading this story. I know I had promised some naughtiness a few chapters back, I promise I'm working on it. But the muse has other ideas, it doesn't want it to happen to fast. It's coming though, I can't say which chapter because I'm working to make sure it come out as a good enough story for you the readers. Sorry again, hope you're all enjoying this. **

* * *

Marshall woke later that morning went through his morning ablutions before getting ready to go to work. He felt a surge of nervous energy course through his body, today was the day he would be 100% sure that Mary and he were sharing the same dream. As much as he wanted to prove her wrong, it would definitely open a can of something, he just wasn't sure if it were worms or something worse. _Or something better._

* * *

Mary walked into the office and sat behind her desk, looking over at the Marshall's door.

"He's not in yet," Delia said as she continued to type on her computer as if she hadn't said anything.

Mary shot her a dirty look, "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to, it was written in your face," countered the younger inspector.

She was going to say something when they both heard the elevator's ding, signaling an arrival, they turned and saw Marshall stroll out of the office on his cell phone.

Marshall looked through the gates and saw both his inspectors looking at him, he smiled tersely and shook the phone by his ear.

Mary release the breath she was holding, the dream from last night still had her on edge, and now after seeing him, she felt her face flush with residual arousal. She sat on her chair and turned her back on the prying inspector sitting across from her, the last thing she needed was the water cooler knowing something that only belonged in her head or in this case, her dreams.

Marshall finished his call and put the paperwork that was needed for a transfer in the very near future, once business was taken care of he walked out the door and straight for a cup of coffee.

He saw Mary rinsing her mug and approached, he felt a sense of something missing, but he pushed it away. He went about his business, prepping his mug with sugar when it hit him, the dream and the proof that he needed to convince her that they were indeed sharing a dream.

The nervous energy that had abandoned him after receiving the new witness transfer call was now back in full effect, "Uh, Mary?"

Mary was drying her mug and turned to look anxiously at him, "Yeah?"

He looked over at Delia and saw her looking at them in her curious nature, that almost made him chicken out, but after carefully analyzing what he was about to say, he knew there was nothing that was going to come out of his mouth that would alert the other inspector to anything she wouldn't understand.

"What color would you say my shirt is?" he had specifically worn his salmon button up for this same reason, she had previously teased him for wearing - what she considered - a _pink_ shirt.

Mary turned and looked at him before looking down at his shirt, with an arched eyebrow she said, "Salmon"

Delia stared at them both as if they were crazy, not understanding what was going on between the former partners, Marshall was aware of her looking at them, but he didn't pay her any mind.

He had chosen precisely that color, because it was a color that was definitely not part of her vocabulary. If he had needed 100% confirmation that they shared the same dream, her look of shocked-horror that froze her face was pretty clear that she knew now.

With Delia close at hand, it was pretty obvious that they couldn't talk about the recent discovery, nothing either said at the moment would be subtle enough not to bring up the red alert to the younger woman.

Mary turned around and practically ran out of the office with a last, "Witness visits"

As much as it was killing him to go after her and talk about the recent development, he turned to his office and shut the door. He would wait for tonight, when they would both fall asleep only to wake up with each other in the dream room.

* * *

"This is so fucked up"

"Yeah, I know"

Mary pivoted around but stayed grounded to the spot, it felt awkward to discover they were really both together in the same dream.

"Perv!"

"Wait, what?" Marshall sat on the bed and stared at her in surprise at her outburst.

"I can't believe you wanted to really touch the girls," she admonished as she waved at her chest. "Not really surprised, you've always had on eye on them."

"Eh, I'm a guy, to some extent we're really all perverts in that case," he shrugged and leaned back on the headboard. "To some extent you are just as bad as I am, you let me touch them."

"Because you made that deal, I got a massage and you were going to cop a feel," she protested before pacing the room. "How long have you known this was real?"

He blushed and shrugged, "I don't know, about three dreams ago?"

"Are you asking me? You're the perv that chose to abuse the dream room," she snarled at him, if she was honest with herself, she was angry at herself but needed to blow some steam.

Marshall felt bad now, one thing was to get things get as far as they had gotten, but he had taken advantage of the situation and now she was angry.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking"

"Whatever"

After a while of ignoring each other, Mary began to feel bored and got up off the floor where she usually used to sit on and walked around what was now her side of the bed. Marshall lay on his side, staring up into the top of the canopy, in his own little world.

It pained her, but it seemed like she had to make the first step to reinitiating contact with him. She wasn't mad with him but really didn't want him to know, yet.

"It really wasn't all that bad," she said as she climbed on the bed and leaned on her bed post. "I mean, you give a mean massage."

"Yeah, you really liked them," he rolled to his side, holding his head with his hand.

"Uh-huh, and I don't hate you for milking the moment," she blushed not meeting his eyes.

"Could have been worst," he murmured. "You could've been sharing a dream with Stan or better yet, Delia"

Mary looked at him and shuddered, "I don't need the visual, but thanks"

"Does this mean you're not mad at me?" he asked hopeful.

"Something like that, I don't know, this is pretty confusing," she exhaled and shrugged, "Less mad at least, but really bored."

He chuckled, "Of course"

"Seriously though, we should just forget about, it never happened," she said hurriedly, her face turning all shades of red.

"Sure, maybe that would be best," he sat up and stretched before pushing himself up into a sitting position against the headboard. "It won't be easy, but I'm sure we can get past this."

He felt defeated, he knew it would come to an end once she knew, both realizing they were in the same dream together, night after night. He couldn't help but feel as if he had lost it all, at least they were starting to open up to each other.

"Awww, little pervy upset you won't get to feel me up anymore?" she couldn't help but tease him, she didn't know what she could gain from it. "They are pretty amazing, you're lucky I let you touch them."

He glared at her out of principle, but knew her well enough that she was teasing, she was always trying to one-up him in the rile department.

Marshall shook his head and looked away before he gave himself by looking at her breasts again, he teased right back, "Careful, you'll tempt me into doing something stupid just for the pleasure of touching them again."

She laughed, more like snorted, "Ha! What makes you think I'd let you?"

For a moment they stared at each other to see how the other would react towards the challenge she had thrown out there.

"I already told you, I'm stronger than you," he said. "You know I am"

She arched a challenging eyebrow at him, "Maybe you are, but I'm smarter, so suck it!"

Mary knew she was baiting him, but she wasn't sure for what exactly, the nervous adrenaline now surging through her system wouldn't let her stop to analyze the situation.

"Mare, I'm not playing this game with you," he turned his back to her and muttered, "You know it won't end well."

"Chicken," she murmured in the ultimate challenge, now she needed him to do something, anything.

He stood up and she followed him, backing off the bed, in order to keep their eyes locked, "Cut it out."

"Make me"

"Seriously Mare…"

"Bawk bawk…chiiiken"

Marshall jumped on the bed so quick that he caught Mary unawares, but still wasn't quick enough to catch her. Even though she had been surprised when he jumped, she knew all his moves and she planned to stay one step ahead of him.

"Cut it out"

"Or what? Would you like some more cheese with your whine?" she laughed in joy, she hadn't done that in some time. She knew she was digging herself into a whole as she continued to tease him. She ran backwards and smiled at his expressive face.

He lunged but she dodged his attempt to grab her, she stuck her tongue out at him while she danced away. As much as she ran, she knew he would eventually take her down, but she continued to taunt him.

Marshall slowed down enough to make her believe that he had given up, she wasn't the only one that knew his every step, he knew hers better. He would have to play smarter, which wouldn't be so difficult for him.

Mary finally slowed her pace and the teasing and taunting went down as she wind down, she was about to tease him one last time, but she saw it coming too late when he reached out and grabbed her wrist. She twisted to get away from him, but his other arm wrapped around her waist, with the struggle they both went down. She gasped a second before she fell face first onto the carpeted floor.

* * *

"Ah!" she screamed and sat up, rubbing her face. She was breathing heavily, almost as if she had been truly running around, getting chased by Marshall. She swore softly and flopped back on her pillow, beating the bed with her fists as the frustrating situation they were in.

She hated feelings this sense of urgency, she had hoped Marshall had caught up to her and pinned her down like he had done before. She groaned in frustration.

* * *

Marshall woke as he rolled around in his bed, he stopped on his back and stared at the ceiling, he was panting, he had tried to not fall on her when they went down, but woke up in his bed.

"Damn, I should've known this would happen," he sighed heavily and groaned.

* * *

**TBC...I'll know for sure in the next chapter when the M rating will be.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sunshine Building**

Marshall looked up when he heard the elevator doors open, expecting Mary and Delia back from lunch. When the younger inspector stepped out, he looked behind her to look at what he expected to be Mary close behind. But when the doors closed without Mary's appearance he looked at Delia asking, "Where's your partner?"

Delia frowned and looked over at Marshall, "Mary? Albuquerque PD called about one of her charges when we were about to go to lunch. She had to drive over there."

Marshall's expression had Delia frowning, she had never seen him look as scared as he did at that moment. Then she paused and began to chew on her bottom lip, "Do you think…"

He nodded and then shook his head to clear it. Mary was in Albuquerque PDs office, most likely going to see Abigail and the beginning of World War III. He pressed the bridge of his nose and tried to reason with the situation, maybe Abigail would be out on a case and wouldn't even see Mary. Or maybe they completely ignored each other, not trying to make small talk with her former partner's fiancée, especially if she didn't want to discuss wedding details.

He groaned and stood up, "This is **NOT** good, I haven't had the chance to tell her. She's going to kill me."

Delia was sitting on her desk as she grew worried that Mary would come off the hinges, by now she had gotten to know Mary better and knew that keeping Marshall at bay had been difficult for the blonde. "What are you going to do?"

He shrugged and tried to chuckled, but it just sounded more strangled, "Join WITSEC?"

She chuckled, "Maybe she'll be too happy to have you back…"

This time he laughed harshly, "Don't count on it."

* * *

**Albuquerque, PD**

Mary was signing a few papers that she had missed last time she had been to the precinct to pick up one of her witnesses. The last place she wanted to be in was Albuquerque PD, but the paperwork wouldn't be signing itself. She had just finished the last paper when she felt the familiar sense of being watched.

She looked up and inwardly sighed when she saw Abigail staring at her, "Hey Detective Chaffey, haven't seen you in a while."

If nothing else, she would play nice for her friend's benefit. She would have to live with her regrets in private, but out in the open, she knew she would encounter the detective in more ways than one and she had to grow up and play nice.

"Uh…yeah, it's been a while. So, what brings you here?" her usual cheery self wasn't present and Mary couldn't really put a finger on it, but she would bet her last dollar that something was going on and it wasn't going to be good.

"One of ours got into a little something and you know the drill," Mary wanted to high-tail it, never good with small talk and the last thing she wanted to do was ask about wedding preparations. But Abigail didn't give her the chance.

"How's Marshall?" her question had caught her so off guard that she looked like a fish out of water, her mouth opened and closed a few times with words unable to form.

She immediately looked down at the detective's left hand and noticed the empty ring finger, she frowned asking, "How long?"

Abigail looked surprised at the question, "He didn't tell you?"

Mary didn't even respond, just stared at the detective, her face set in stone. _What the hell is going on? Why the hell didn't he tell me? We spent a whole damn night talking and he didn't bring it up. Why?_

"Um…maybe I shouldn't have come up to you. I'm sorry," she hurried off and left Mary looking after her in shock.

She turned and trudged solemnly back to the truck, mixed feelings swirling around. _Why didn't he tell me? Did he take his friendship back along with his promise to always be there? Damn it, he doesn't owe me anything. I released him! I guess I can't blame Abigail anymore, she's not the reason he needed space. What the hell is going on? Why didn't he tell me?!_

She climbed the truck and gunned the engine; she drove with her thoughts in jumbles. She didn't know what had happened with her former partner and his fiancée, as curious as she always was, this time she wouldn't get the satisfaction of finding out. He wanted space and she was glad that she had kept her word to him. She wouldn't be calling him.

* * *

Back in the office Delia kept busy running a threat assessment when she heard the elevator ding with a new arrival. She looked up and bit her lip when she saw Mary pull her key card and swipe it before crossing the gates into the office.

"Hey Mare, how'd it go at the precinct?" she tried to sound nonchalant and praying that Mary wouldn't pick up on her edginess.

Mary looked at her and narrowed her eyes at the tell-tell sign, she felt an automatic betrayal that her new partner had known more about her former partners broken engagement. Not sure if she was more angry that Delia knew or that Marshall had probably entrusted her with the news.

"When did you find out?" she asked without preliminaries.

"Find out what?" asked Delia anxiously chewing on her lower lip.

"How long?"

"I don't know what you're asking Mary, can you please make yourself clear?" Delia tried to develop her Marshal skills because she didn't know how to answer that question.

Marshall chose that precise moment to walk out of his office; he hadn't been able to get out as soon as he spot Mary because he had been on the phone.

"Hey Mare, Delia here said you had to go to Albuquerque PD, everything okay?" when she turned her cold eyes towards him, he knew in his gut that she had seen and spoken to the detective.

"Can we talk? Privately," he nodded back to his office but she shook her head.

"It's Thursday, I'm going to take a long weekend, I'll be back by Tuesday," she said without raising her voice and turned, leaving both Delia and Marshall staring after her.

"_Shit_! She's not going to forgive me that easily," Marshall raked his fingers through his already disheveled head.

"What are you going to do?" Delia asked looking at him and back to the elevator, hoping Mary would come back and yell at both of them. But that was just wishful thinking and they both knew it.

"I don't know, but I'll fix it," he turned back to this office and sat heavily on his chair. _What the hell am I going to do? I have to fix it, we can't end like this. Dammit Abigail, why'd you have to come into our lives? At least we have the dreams._

* * *

Mary groaned when she realized she was back in the dream room, the last place she wanted to be was in this damn dream. She turned towards him and glared at him.

"Mare…"

Without saying a word she walked over to him she swung at him.

* * *

She woke up in her bed and stared at the ceiling, she would beat him – or try to – every time she woke up in the dream room. She tossed and turned all night long until sleep finally claimed her again without the dream room.

Marshall woke as he flinched to avoid her fist; he pounded the bed because he hadn't been able to talk to her, even in their dream room, "Damn it!"

* * *

**TBC...Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for those still reading...up next M rating! YIKES... :)**

* * *

For the next couple of days, it was the same thing. She would wake in the dream room and charge him, only to wake up breathing hard in her bedroom, alone in bed.

Marshall would toss and turn after each dream in frustration; she wasn't giving him a chance to open his mouth before she was trying to pounce on him. He knew once they woke up from the dream room they couldn't go back to the dream even if they fell immediately back to sleep.

* * *

It was Monday night and Marshall was through with Mary's aggressiveness, she would listen to his explanation if he had to tie her down. Then he recalled the time when he had tied her with his shirt, to keep her from hitting him. He would use the same technique, but this time he would be right there before she had a chance to turn and jump him.

* * *

Mary woke in the dream and turned only to find Marshall right in front of her, she shrieked, "Ah!"

Next thing she knew, she was on her back and Marshall had both her hands wrapped in his shirt, again.

"What the hell Marshall?" she struggled with the shirt, but he had tied her up pretty tight. He stood up and pick her up, throwing her over his shoulder before walking over to the bed and dumping her there.

"What the hell? I'll tell you what the hell, but not before I explain myself," he crawled into bed next to her.

She struggled to get away, but he pulled her sideways against his chest, he leaned up on his elbow to look down at her, "Mare, you have to let me explain."

She turned her face away from him, which by now had turned a deep red and wouldn't meet his eyes, "You and I have nothing to talk about and I don't need any _**explanations** _of anything. You live your life and I live my life. Whatever you think you **_need _**to explain, trust me you don't."

"She wasn't the woman I thought or wanted her to be. I don't go around trying to change people, you know that. You know me better than anyone else in this world," he started as he held her close to him, if this would be the only time he held her, he would milk it until they woke up.

"Damn it, Marshall, let me go," she struggled again and pulled at the shirt tied around her hands.

He was starting to get angry himself; he was trying to explain, "Why do you always have to be so damn stubborn?"

She tried to roll away, but he pulled her hard against him and rolled on top of her, she froze and whispered, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to get your attention for once and explain why I didn't tell you," he held her hands over her head and his body on top of hers, he wasn't even trying to keep his weight off of her.

"It's none of my business"

He closed his eyes with a sigh and leaned down, resting his forehead on hers and breathing in her scent. She looked up at him and watched his clenched eyes, her eyes moving around and noticing that he looked tired.

Without opening his eyes he said, "I want it to be your business."

She shook her head and sighed as she gave up the fight, she really wanted to know, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did tell you, multiple times, but you just didn't believe me," he murmured as he lay over her, not giving her any breathing room, not this time.

"Telling me in a dream isn't telling me. You can't pretend we didn't know we were each just coincidentally dreaming about each other, you telling me in a dream isn't telling me," she argued as she pulled her arms free and tried to push him off, his body was warming hers too fast.

"Don't say coincidentally," he murmured as he only wrapped himself tighter against her, wrapping his arms around her back, pulling her even closer with her hands trapped between their chests, "I didn't know how to tell you."

"Tell me now"

She stared at his face, running her eyes all over his features, features she hadn't been able to look because she wasn't allowed. His eyes shot open as she returned to stare at his long lashes and locked with hers, "I want to tell you everything, I think that's why we're here. Why we always end up in this dream room."

"Do you want to explain that logic to me, a mere mortal?" she asked as she looked around him to the room.

He sighed and shrugged, "I don't know, alright? For the very first time, I really don't have the answer to that question. I just know how bad I wanted to tell you so there wasn't all that animosity."

She chuckled, "You meant to say that you wanted conjured up this room to fill me up."

"Whatever makes you happy in that little head of yours," he leaned back and mock scowled down at her, "But let's not forget that you let me, too."

She tried to push him off again, but he only leaned back down to rest his forehead against hers, "Easy there, you try to swing at me and you'll just manage to wake us up."

"Stop patronizing me then," she grumbled.

Marshall rolled off of her and threw his arm over his face, he couldn't stay on her without getting a reaction out of him, especially now that she was willing to listen to him.

"She asked me to transfer you out of Albuquerque," he turned his head to peek at her under his arm.

Mary sat up and looked down at him in total shock, "B-but…why?"

"She's insecure and I guess she really didn't trust me to be around you," he tried to explain it how he felt his ex-fiancé's reasons were.

"I don't get it, we were best-friends, what's to be insecure about that? Is that why you asked…" she didn't finish, she didn't want to put him on the spot. Now she was starting to understand his motives for taking his word back. She sighed sadly, knowing that she would have to push him away so that he could find his happily ever after. _You could be his happily ever after,_ chimed in her conscience.

"Were? You don't think we can continue to be best-friends? I wasn't asking to take my friendship back, but with the wedding preparations…I just needed to please the one I was going to marry and in the process I pushed you away," he sat up turning to her and crossed his legs, "I never wanted to do it and I promise…"

She shook her head and growled, "Don't you dare promise me anything Marshall Mann! I understand what you did, but I just can't…I just can't take any of your promises."

Mary tried to turn her back towards him, but he prevented it by holding her shoulders, "It's not about taking them or accepting them, I'm willingly promising never to do that."

She tried to shrug his hands off but he pushed down again before crawling on top of her, she struggled for a bit and groaned, "Is this going to be your trick to get me to listen to you from now on?"

Marshall chuckled and nodded, "It's working, of course it will."

She gave it one last futile try to push him off and he didn't budge, "And you call me stubborn."

He rested his forehead on hers and nodded, "Yeah, that's me. Mr. Stubborn to your Mrs. Stubborn."

"We can't just pick up were we left off," she murmured as she stared up at him.

"I know"

"So what do you want to do besides lay on top of me?"

He shrugged, "I haven't thought about it, there's a vast of possibilities."

She rolled her eyes at him and tried to roll them with no avail, she groaned, "Can you at least untie me?"

"No, I think I'm going to enjoy having you tied down to a bed," he winked at her showing her that he was just teasing now.

* * *

Mary slowly woke up and her eyes fluttered opened, she was back in her bedroom and for the first time in months she felt at peace. Sleep came almost immediately.

Marshall rolled to his side and pulled a pillow to his chest, they were on the road to recovery and to him that was the best thing this dream could've done for him.

* * *

**TBC...Reviews are inspirations!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the reviews! Definitely going to finish this in the next couple of days...I can honestly (now that I already started to write it) say that the next chapter will definitely be moved to M rating. Hope you are all enjoying this story.**

* * *

It seemed every time Mary and Marshall's eye met across the office the next day they couldn't help sharing a secret look and a small hesitant smile. It reassured them both that things were going to be okay between them. The fact that there was some kind of sexual tension there didn't bother either one.

It would have been a bigger deal if they hadn't already scratched the surface of a sexual relationship amid the dreams, it wasn't such a big deal since their friendship had already faltered.

Neither being in another relationship didn't help the sexual tension, for Mary's part, she had always had a very healthy sexual appetite. As for Marshall, he had recently stopped having regular sex, making him hungry for more and not from his ex. If either had been in a relationship, to keep their mind occupied preventing them from seeking each other out, things wouldn't be the way they were at the moment.

* * *

Marshall saw her appear right before his eyes, the same as every start of the dream, it seemed he only appeared a few seconds before she did. When she turned to face him, he shot her a quick half smile, unsure if she would attack him now that he wasn't trying to tie her down.

"Sorry."

Mary arched an eyebrow in question, "Why?"

He shrugged apprehensively, "For being a jerk last time."

She chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm sure I deserved it, kinda glad you did it. Got us talking, right?"

"Yeah, going in the right direction is always a positive."

She looked at him thoughtfully and walked to what was now her side of the bed, "You know, whatever's going on, I guess I can admit isn't really a bad thing. I guess not hanging out with each other the last couple months - like old times - is probably the reason we're here."

"Wow, I didn't see that coming, especially from you. Are you gonna get all emotional and sing kumbaya?" he said in amazement, he never thought Mary could voice her emotions so well.

"No! Just…you don't feel that way at all?" she asked apprehensively, biting her lower lip.

"To be honest, I don't know. It could be any reason at this point, plus you're not the worst person in the world to hang out with," he winked at her with a smirk.

"Gee, thanks."

"I'm just pulling your leg. You're right, it's not so bad spending time with you."

She arched an eyebrow at him, "Yeah, not bad at all, not for you anyways."

"What does that mean?" he asked with a confused frown.

"It's been more fun for you than for me, perv"

He narrowed his eyes understanding her, "Liking boobs is normal, it doesn't make me a perv."

"It does when they're your subordinate, former best friend's boobs, perv," she never pulled punches.

She egged him on per her MO, it was such an instinctual thing for her. She knew she was trying to lure him toward her, even when she wasn't sure it was a good idea.

He shot her a menacing smile, "You know what, say it again. Say it one…more…time, I dare you."

Mary smirked and leaned forward, exaggerating her lips as she spoke, "You're a _huge_ perv."

Marshall's menacing smile turned feral, he crawled toward her, slowly and deliberately. She made no attempt to escape, she was curious to see how far either one would let this dream go. He stopped right in front of her for a second, then pushed her onto her back so she lay flat. She had pulled a pillow against her when he began to crawl to her, she clutched it tight against her chest in an attempt to hide any visible sings of her nervousness.

"Fine, I'm a perv," he murmured. "But I can't help but notice that you don't actually seem to mind it all that much."

He pulled the pillow away from her and tossed it to the floor. She tried to catch it, but he put a hand on her shoulder to hold her down. Her breathing turned labored and she flushed in arousal, hoping they weren't so apparent to him as they felt to her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she tried to sound offended.

"I think you know exactly what it means."

He was on his knees beside her, his free hand moved toward her chest, and she pushed it away. He smiled enigmatically arching an eyebrow in challenge, he made the same move again, this time faster so she didn't have time to stop him.

Mary bit her lip as his palm covered her breast, perhaps more forcefully then he meant to. The sensation of being held down and being groped by Marshall was doing funny things to her head.

"See?" he whispered raggedly as he leaned half over her. "I swear your face gives you away. You're enjoying this. But that doesn't make sense, because I'm the perv, not you, right?"

"We can both be," she said in an equally quiet voice.

Marshall's eyes widened at the significance, a little surprised at her indirect admission. She knew he wouldn't have been expecting to get it quite so easily, it was amusing how he faltered once he didn't have anything to prove anymore.

"Okay…okay, okay," he chanted. He let her go and sat up, allowing Mary her freedom. She stayed where she was. "So, I'm not the only perv around here. I always suspected you were pushing my buttons on purpose."

She half shrugged, "It's kinda my thing. You're really easy to manipulate most of the time."

"I'm sure you've perfected the art after so many years as partners, you've had a lot of practice with me."

"Yup, because you're right, physically you can pretty much do whatever you want with me."

She grimaced, when she heard herself, her words had come out with more of a sexual overtone than she meant them to be, and Marshall's flush was enough of a tell that she knew he heard it too.

"Do you like that? When I…" he couldn't even finish the question.

"I don't know, maybe. There's been a lot of stuff for me to sort out in recent days."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I have similar feelings on the subject. There are things I've been thinking for longer than I'd like to admit, dream or no dream."

"Well, at least we can trust each other, right? As sketchy as this might seem, no one else is ever going to know. Unless they could read minds, thank God Eleanor isn't here anymore," she sighed in relief.

Marshall chuckled, "Yeah, there's that. I guess it helps that this isn't really real. Mostly."

There was an awkward silence after that, he began to shift next to her, she grabbed his wrist to keep him from moving too far from her. He lay beside her, her hand still on his wrist. He'd gone self-conscious on her and she knew that unless she did something he wouldn't be touching her anymore. For some reason, that scared the living daylights out of her.

"I kind of feel awkward now that you've basically given me the green light," he said timidly turning to look at her, "I want to, don't get me wrong. It's just…"

"Would it help if I revoked your permission?"

He grinned at her, "Maybe, but probably not going to happen."

"Marshall," she whispered, "just touch them."

You couldn't call Mary a coward, once she wanted something, she jumped in with both feet. It had been a blunt approach, but it worked. Marshall rolled to his side and just looked at her to make sure she was serious. Slowly he reached out and let his hand settle on her right breast. It wasn't all that exciting for either one, mainly because they were both just testing the waters.

After a while, he began to squeeze and caress her breast, when his thumb began to seek her nipple, she bit her lip and closed her eyes. She didn't want to miss a thing, but his thumb was working magic on her nipple, causing it to pebble and beg for more of his attention.

Marshall looked up to see her eyes tightly shut and her teeth biting on her lower lip, she had never looked more beautiful than at the moment, receiving pleasure from his touch.

Mary wanted so badly to slip a hand down inside her panties, but she knew Marshall would be scandalized by her behavior. _Next time._

* * *

She wasn't sure what triggered it, but at some point she found herself awake in her own bed, in her own lonely bedroom. She had woken up before her alarm, but not early enough for her to go back to sleep.

She closed her eyes and could still feel his hand on her breast, his thumb on her nipple, almost like he was laying right next to her in her bedroom.

Mary sighed and rolled off her bed, going to check on Norah before starting her day.

* * *

Marshall held his pillow against him and opened his eyes slowly, he sighed as he replayed the dream in his head. He couldn't believe he had gotten to second base with his Mary.

He chuckled into his pillow in pure joy, kicking his blankets off, he began his day in a happy note.

* * *

**TBC...M rating up next. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for the review! Now M rated! **

* * *

When Mary arrived at the office, Marshall was nowhere in sight. His door was wide open, so he wasn't in there, she turned to the fishbowl and it was empty. Delia looked up from her computer as Mary sat at her desk, but was too busy on the phone with her recent witness to talk to her.

She began her work like any other day, but she kept vigil on the elevator doors, a little before noon Delia came back from going on an emergency witness visit and looked at Mary, "Marshall's still not back?"

"Back from where?" she arched an eyebrow. Upset that Delia hadn't told her Marshall's whereabouts before she ran off to her witness.

"Oh yeah, I didn't mean to forget to tell you, but that witness…well you know. Anyways, he had a meeting with the DoJ and the DA, a new witness. I thought he would be back by now," she said thoughtfully as she strolled back to her desk.

After lunch and an impromptu surprise witness visit, Mary sauntered into the office and found Marshall by the coffee machine. She approached him cautiously, he said nothing when she stood beside him, pulling her mug from the shelf and pouring her own coffee. He slowly turned to her and smiled, which she took as a good sign.

"So, how'd it go with the DoJ and the DA?" she asked after a moment.

He shrugged, "The usual, there's a witness we need to pick up from Denver."

Mary turned her back to the kitchenette and observed the office, trying to see who was watching them, she didn't have to look at Delia. The woman didn't know when not to stick her nose in other people's business.

"I thought you might be trying to hide," she glanced at him.

He looked sheepish and blushed at what her words implied, and pursed his lips as he delayed his response until she arched an eyebrow speculatively.

"I was partially hiding, the meeting wasn't until 10 this morning, but I…if you must know, it's not easy being near you at the moment. I almost called Delia to tell her I wouldn't be coming in the rest of the day," he snarled in frustration.

She giggled at his honesty, but it soon turned to a full belly laugh.

"Shut up," he said. "it's your fault anyway."

Mary stopped laughing and stared at him, "Really? Maybe I should revoke that permission."

Marshall panicked, "That's not what I'm saying. We should curb what we say about those dreams while we're around other people."

"I'll try my very best not to let you grope me in public."

"Mare," he growled. "That's not…you aren't taking this seriously, are you?"

She shrugged, "Seriously enough. I'm well aware how badly it could go if certain people out there knew what we got off on. But I also know no one has ever learned about my other fantasies, so I think we're good."

Marshall smirked, "I'm one of your fantasies?"

She glared at him before she dumped her coffee into the sink and stalking back to her desk.

* * *

"I have to admit something," she said.

"Yeah? Like what?" Marshall asked huskily.

He already had both hands under her shirt, having apparently gotten over his hesitance from the night before after her little confession by the coffee machine. I was seriously tempted just to take it off since it was only getting in the way.

"I had the same reaction towards you, I almost called out because I wasn't sure I would be able to walk around the office with you just a few feet away," she finished with a groan at his touch.

"And you were laughing at me? God, you're the biggest hypocrite."

"Yeah, but the difference is that I'm cute. Anyway," she was cut off by her own yelp, "Watch it! They're attached."

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I'm just…it's just…"

"Just spit it out," he groaned at the feel of her heavy breasts finally in his hands.

"I woke up all worked up," she murmured into his face, looking straight into his dark blue eyes.

"Me too"

"Um…what if we…um…took care of that before we woke up?" she finished blushing scarlet.

Marshall paused his ministrations temporarily motionless with a thoughtful look on his face, "Are you aware of what you're saying?"

She shrugged and arched under him, trying to get his hands to move again.

"I don't know," he said. "But if that did work, wouldn't I wake up with a…uh…mess in the real world?"

"I guess you would," she sighed as he began to move his thumbs over her sensitive nipples. "Lucky for me, I wouldn't have that problem."

She yelped again as he pinched both nipples a little too hard, and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Don't forget payback is a bitch, Marshall"

"You just like to rub it in, don't you?"

"Of course I do, that's why I'm the one here with you, isn't it?" she mocked him again with a half smile.

"I guess…among other things evidently," he said, glancing down at her chest, knowing full well that his hands were under her shirt.

On impulse she reached for the back of his neck and pulled him toward her. He looked confused for a second before she kissed him. It was only a short peck, barely called a kiss, but she could tell by the way he froze above her how it had affected him.

"Why did you do that?" he whispered shakily.

"Because it felt natural," she said. She brushed her hand along his jaw up into his hair on his temple. "Because we can do whatever we want when we're here. There is only you and I, no rules."

Marshall stared at her, then moved deliberately straddling her waist, he grabbed the bottom of her shirt in both hands and ripped it all the way to the collar. Without pausing, he lay fully on her and reached behind her to wrestle with the clasp of her bra, for a second or two before it gave way and discarded the garment.

Mary lay below him, in arousing intense shock, he could finally see her naked breasts. Her torn shirt hang limply against her shoulders, but no longer in the way.

"That was so fucking hot," she groaned her admission.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't…shut up, don't you dare go all wuss on me now!" she growled up into his face, breathing hard at the heat coursing through her aroused body.

Mary pulled him toward her yet again, this time down to her breasts where he held himself right above them.

Marshall was pretty sure that her full breasts and rosy nipples were the works of perfectection, he had never seen such a beautiful sight. It didn't take him long to start nuzzling on her breasts, then suck one of her nipples between his lips. She ran fingers through his hair and pulled him closer, arching her back to push her breasts deeper into his mouth. He got down to the job properly, licking and sucking and nibbling eagerly at her sensitive flesh.

She moaned and thrashed below him not wanting him to stop his ministrations, she needed him to take this kind of initiative more often…not often enough that it would cross into the real world. At least not yet.

Every now and then she felt his hardness bump against her leg. She could tell that he was fully aroused and she was tempted to pay him back for the torture he was inflicting on her at the moment.

But decided against it as she pushed her hand down her panties, she knew he would be shocked, but she couldn't help it. She was fully aroused and if she didn't do something about it, there would be more than either was ready for.

She wiggled her fingers under her panties with practiced ease, then continued even farther. She could already feel how wet she'd become just from his lips and teeth on her breasts, her nipples.

"What are you doing?" Marshall asked, taking a break from her breasts.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Einstein?" she moaned as she continued to touch herself.

He groaned and his hardness rubbed against her leg again, harder this time like he was trying to temporarily appease his desire. She was positive that it wouldn't do much but frustrate him more.

"You should try it," she gasped as he nipped at her left breast before nibbling it.

"Damn it, Mare…"

Mary knew how to drive him crazy, she made it a point to exaggerate every moan and sigh as she parted her nether lips, up around her sensitive button, never touching for too long before rubbing her fingers down her moist lips.

Marshall growled into her neck, "You're fucking driving me insane and you're doing it on purpose."

"That's the idea," she groaned into his sweaty temple.

"You think I can easily do _that_…I don't know…argh!" she could almost feel him blush even though he was flushed from arousal.

"And here I thought that you were full of confidence. What happened to the guy that tore my shirt and bra off? You're so much sexier when you just let go."

He raised himself on one elbow and shot her a dirty look before he rolled her over so she lay on her stomach. She could've stopped him, but she had always been curious by nature, and she was definitely curious to see how far Marshall would take this.

She made sure her hand stayed between her legs, working herself into a mindless mess. She wanted him to see her, all of her, even if deep down she would be mortified come morning.

"Bad influence…" she heard him mutter into the nape of her neck before he nipped her shoulder.

Mary wanted to protest, more as an automatic response, but she could tell he wasn't done. She barked in surprise as he tore her panties down and leaving her bare for his gaze, she clenched her eyes in shyness. She wanted to laugh at her predicament, how can she be shy when she had instigated this behavior.

"Oh fuck," she gasped.

She moved her fingers up to the sensitive button and rubbed herself, feeling the coils of orgasm reaching for her.

Marshall was in awe of the woman that lay below him, he couldn't help but groan in appreciation, he didn't know where to start from. He could see her hand moving over what he knew was her sensitive button, he couldn't help it any longer. As fast as he could he stripped his shorts along with his boxers down, kicking them the rest of the way, he took himself in his hand and began to stroke.

Her orgasm hit her and tore through her body, she thrashed below him on the bed, oblivious to anything other than her pleasure. After a few minutes, possibly seconds, she came back to her body and turned her head back.

He was watching her in aroused shock, when he could tell she had come down from her joy ride, he began to stroke his hardness faster, watching her in mid-pleasure had given him enough incentive to get to the point of no return.

"You're so damn hot," he managed in a strangled groan before he let go and came, she stared down as best as she could in her position and saw as he spewed his spunk jumped to land on her.

* * *

Mary jumped and gasped as she woke from the intense dream, she collapsed back on the bed as she gulped air through her mouth. She knew she had an orgasm in the dream, yet she had woken up all worked up. She groaned in frustration and shook her head.

"What the hell did I do?" she covered her face with a pillow and moaned as she cursed herself for being too forward. How was she going to look him in the eyes now?

Getting up she went to get a shower, she didn't even look at the time, she needed to get off like her life depended on it.

* * *

Marshall rolled over and managed not to injure his appendage, still fully aroused, the only good thing had been that he hadn't made a mess. "Damn it Mare"

He rolled back onto his back and sat up on the side of his bed, he wanted to take care of himself and he couldn't do it laying on his bed. He tore his clothes off and jumped into a hot shower and reached for his still hard member, it took him a handful of pumps before he was spewing his spunk all over the floor of the shower.

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**TBC...definitely getting more smutty.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for the reviews! Smut coming right up...Enjoy!**

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The next day she couldn't stop thinking about him, she couldn't help but wonder if he had woken up as randy as she had. She wondered if he had jerked off, like she'd taken care of her needs when she woke up a sweaty mess. All her wonderings got her turned on far too many times throughout the day, she would feel her face flush at her arousal. She spent most of the day hiding behind the curtain of her blonde tresses.

For the past hour Marshall had been going from the fish bowl to his office, on the phone most of the time. Other times she caught him shooting her a glance, she knew they couldn't change their daytime relationship, especially during business hours, at least not without possibly messing things up in the office.

They both worked throughout the day and afternoon on each other's paperwork, she had fallen behind thanks to her long weekend off.

It was late afternoon when Delia finally left the office for the night; Marshall strolled out of his office with a pie box in one hand and a couple of forks on the other.

Mary smiled and arched an eyebrow, "What's that?"

"A little nourishment, we both just had a quick bite during lunch around noon, and I'm pretty sure you're still the same Mary. If I don't feed you, you are liable to burn the building down, plus I get to spend time with my best friend," he sat on the chair beside her desk and placed the pie between them.

She snatched a fork from his other hand and dug in, "Ummm…"

They both each ate half of the pie before she went back to her paperwork, Marshall got up and brought his paperwork back to her desk, like old times. They spent most of the evening talking about random things, witnesses, Norah, Mark, the office employees, but it never ventured into their relationship amid the dreams.

* * *

The first thing Mary noticed about the dream was how real it felt; she turned and looked at Marshall. He looked at her funny with a small frown.

"Does it feel a little too real?" she asked him as she approached the bed.

"Yeah…I thought something was off."

She moved over to him opposed to her side of the bed and touched his shoulders, "You feel real too."

"Yeah…you think it's because we fell asleep near each other in the office?"

"I don't know, we barely understand what we're doing here most of the time"

He raised his eyebrows and smiled, "You're right."

"So…what now? What are you going to do to me this time?" she challenged him. This was their dream and they could do whatever they wanted, no rules.

He chuckled and shrugged, "What makes you think I'm going to do something?"

Mary stepped right up to him and whispered in his ear, "Well, you can do whatever you want to me."

She was pleased to see his eyes close for a moment and his whole body shutter in sheer pleasure.

"You shouldn't say that, don't think I won't take you up on it," he whispered right back into her face.

"It's an open offer," she winked.

She rubbed her body against his and trailed her fingers from his clavicle down to his chest and moved lower to his lower extremities, she flattened her palm against his stomach and slid it down towards his hardness, knowing he would be fully aroused from what she could feel against her belly.

Before she reached it, he stopped her hand and leaned down to kiss her. She didn't know if it was because she had wanted this kiss since the chaste peck she had given him or the fact that they were sleeping so close to each other in the real world. But there was something very primal, very urgent about it. It was possibly the most amazing wonderful erotic and earth shattering kiss she'd ever had.

Mary melted into him, grinding against his crotch and grinning when he groaned, pulling her hips up and tilting her pelvis to meet his thrust. He held her close as he buried his face in her neck, unable to pull away.

"This is wrong…in so many ways"

"I know"

Marshal pushed her backward, until the back of her thighs hit the bed, he roughly pulled her shirt up and off her head. He pushed her again and she fell onto the bed. He stood over her, eyes fixed on her bra and she waited for him to remove it too.

But he moved back and tore off his shirt and pushed his shorts down and off, leaving only his boxers on. They made a very tempting tent in the material.

Mary sat up and reached for his waistband and he pulled her off the bed onto her knees in front of him. She looked up at him in surprise, but wasn't shocked. She pushed his boxers down enough to free his full erection, which was now almost right in front of her mouth. He stepped out of the boxers and kicked them to the side. She smirked up at him and waited.

His hands went to the back of her head, gently urging her toward him. She hesitated a little to torture him as he guide her closer. When her lips touched the tip of his hardness she couldn't hold back, with a moan she parted her lips and stroked the tip with her tongue. Her hand reached up and encircled his shaft as she pumped and stroked him.

He moaned and held the sides of her head as he felt her move her lips up and down his slick hardness.

No dream had felt as real as this one; the whole experience was bringing her so close to the edge. Never thought she could get off by getting someone off.

"Oh God, that feels so good," Marshall shuddered. "So…"

"Real?" she took a break and murmured loud enough for him to hear. "Like I'm really getting you off?"

He arched his head up, "Fuck! Yeah, just like that."

He pushed on the back of her head again, forcing her to open wide to receive him, she didn't hesitate and took up where she had left off. She happily bobbed up and down on it, loving every time he got vocal at her ministrations.

Their eyes locked as he started to thrust into his hardness, in and out of her mouth and as hard as she tried to torture him longer, he couldn't hold off for longer. He pulled free of her mouth and gasped.

"Why'd you stop?" she managed as she gulped.

"I was too close…if I get off, we'll just wake up. I want to…" he blushed and looked back to the bed.

"You want to get me off too?" she grinned up at him, still on her knees.

He reached down and pulled her up, "Come on"

She climbed the bed and once in the middle he began to strip her, his hands on her had her in the verge of going off the cliff, she wanted to grab him and force him to just fuck her. At least she could try, because she needed a release soon.

Marshall closed his eyes at her wiggling, they were both frustrated and he needed to get her off like his life depended on it. This would make or break whatever relationship he could seek outside of this dream realm. He needed her to see him as more than just friends, but as the man she needed in her life.

Mary helped him remove her panties, taking every opportunity to touch both him and herself in the process. She knew she could get them both to finish off at the same time with her hands, but she wanted to experience what he seemed to want to give her. She growled and panted into his face so very close to hers.

"Patience," he muttered before he pressed a quick kiss to her parted lips, nipping her lower lip in the process.

She pulled his shirt up and off, the last piece of clothing that separated their bodies to fully touch. Naked with Marshall was definitely more than she had expected, it felt very naughty, but she loved it. But couldn't appreciate it because she was still too aroused to think as properly as she would if she wasn't.

"There's only so much patience…" she trailed off as she whined again.

Marshall smiled and gave her another kiss, this one was a mature grown up kiss, he sank his tongue as deep into her mouth while slanting his head. She groaned and wrapped her fingers in his hair as she pulled him closer.

"I'll take care of you," he rasped as he pulled up. "Just calm down."

"Damn it Marshall, don't you think if I could calm down, I wouldn't be trying right now?" she groaned. "Stop being so mean"

He chuckled as he slowly backed down her body, occasionally pausing to linger and kiss her neck, breasts and tummy, eventually his mouth was where she really needed him to be. Right over her suffering mound, she felt him breath her in and she almost came from the heat.

Mary arched into him, willing him to finally get down to business. She squeaked when he finally stuck his tongue out and licked her, her hands moved over her head and found purchase against the headboard. She knew she was making embarrassing noises, but she was beyond the point of caring.

Having him between her legs, licking and sucking her was beyond any dream could've been. She arched and thrashed against the bed, "Oh God…Mars…Marshall…please…"

Marshall was enjoying every single second of tasting her, he moved his left hand to hold her hips down to keep his tongue on her tender nub, his right hand moved between breasts to thumb and occasionally pinching her nipples.

He stuck his tongue deep into her body and felt her begin to shudder; he had only a total of maybe two or three minutes working on her before she was ready to explode. Waves of pleasure coursed through her, traveling the length of her body to each of her extremities.

She was so consumed by her orgasm, yet felt like something wasn't quite right. Everything faded out and she opened her eyes to darkness, for a moment she was worried that something did go wrong, then her eyes focused and she realized that she was back in the office and had fallen asleep on her desk.

Marshall sat wide-eyed staring at her from across her desk, having most likely woken at the same time she had. He could tell she was breathing raggedly and still flushed from arousal, but if his body wasn't betraying him, they were most likely as aroused as if nothing had happened in the dream.

Mary stared at him and blushed, she ran her hands over her face and muttered, "That was awesome!"

Still blushing he chuckled, "Told you. Patience"

She smirked, "More fun my way." She moved over her desk and swiped a lock of hair away from his face, "Thanks. Do you need help.."

He blushed and shook his head, "I don't think that would be a good idea." _Not yet anyways._

As much as he'd like her to help him, if they did anything at this point she might pull away afterwards and pass it off as a one-night stand. And he was definitely not the type to go along with those moves. Slow and steady would win him the girl.

"Probably best if I do it. It'd be real if you did," he stood up with his back to her.

"Wouldn't make much difference, this last one felt pretty real," she said with her laughing voice.

"We can't…"

"I know, I know. You're right. Just wanted things to be fair."

"Trust me, what you did makes us even."

"I should go…" she trailed off, wanting him to stop her. Stay and talk some more.

But, "I'll see you later."

He watched her clean up her desk and turn her computer off before she walked out of the gates towards the elevator, she turned and smiled, "Good night, Marshall"

"Good night, Mare," he sighed as the elevator doors closed behind his girl. His emotions were running wild, he shook his head before heading to his office.

* * *

**TBC...Reviews inspire me! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the review! So, there's only one more chapter, possibly an epilogue...no promises. I know I normally give you guys a heads-up when I'm getting near the end. So enjoy!**

* * *

The next few days were hectic; Mary had to pick up a witness and would be gone for the rest of the week and it was only Tuesday. Marshall wasn't sure how he'd survive without her in the office, after the last dream in the office, their relationship had shifted and he was afraid that she would run from her feelings.

As Mary drove to her destination with Carl - her partner on this witness pick up - she couldn't help but think of Marshall and their shared dreams. She blushed at the things they had managed to get into within their dreams. They hadn't gotten too carried away and still enjoyed each other without crossing that ultimate line. She was afraid of losing him, more now than ever.

If anything, the witness pick up was probably a good thing for both of them, it gave them the chance to think about their relationship, whether it would remain a friendship or move forward in a positive way.

Mary didn't sleep much throughout the transport, which left her as grouchy as ever. She tried to distract herself by being blatantly talkative with the witness and with Carl. But nothing really helped; she couldn't stop thinking about Marshall and the dreams. And even when she did sleep, she didn't dream of him, making her insufferable.

Marshall tried to nap a few times, to see if he could dream with Mary, but all it did was make him more tired. His biggest problem was that his feelings had grown to overflow and it scared him to death, they were walking a very tight rope that could snap and both would be paying a high price for their move.

He was in such a pathetic way that he resort to texting her to see how everything was going, but she didn't reply. He knew that she wouldn't, not unless it was necessary and him being worried wasn't a good enough reason. Travelling with a witness was always a risk and texting could cause a problem.

She sighed as it became night for the second night of their drive back to Albuquerque. They were in a hotel, Carl had first watch and Mary tried to sleep. It was a sad attempt, made worst because she had gotten used to falling asleep only to wake up in the dreams with Marshall. Apparently proximity had more than an impact than she'd realized.

By Friday, Marshall felt a little better knowing that Mary would be back that day. She had called and spoken to Delia because he had been busy with a witness on the phone. He kept glancing at his watch, when she hadn't gotten back by nightfall, Marshall gave up and went home. He cooked, eating with a lonely bereft feeling.

Mary and Carl finally managed to crawl into city limits, found the witness a secure hotel room. After securing the witness and Carl in the adjoining room, she drove home with a morose feeling. She walked into her house kicking her boots off and throwing her jacket to the closest chair before pulling off her jeans and her button up along with her bra. She collapsed on her bed in only her panties and wife beater.

* * *

It took Marshall a while for him to finally fall asleep that night, he couldn't get comfortable and it was made worst because he couldn't shut his mind down. He didn't know when or how, but sleep finally won and he was out.

Mary found herself in the dream room, she frowned because she hadn't been able to dream up this place and it felt like forever since she had been there. It felt strange to be in the dream room without Marshall, until she turned and found his cerulean eyes looking at her curiously.

"Where'd you come from?" he asked in confusion.

"Same place as always"

He arched eyebrow and smirked, "You know what I mean. You hadn't arrived back at the office by the time I left and we haven't been here in the past couple of days…"

"Traffic, we got in late," she interrupted. "But I'm here now…or home at least. Whatever. I'm back anyway."

They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time – but probably just a minute – she ran to him and threw herself into his waiting arms, her lips locking on his. He hugged her fiercely and kissed her back and for a long time, that was all that mattered, she was finally in his arms.

"I missed you," she murmured as she pecked his lips. "Way too damn much…damn it Marshall, what the hell have you done to me?"

"I missed you too, I regretted not sending Delia…kind of wished you would've stayed home," he agreed between pecks. He never thought he'd have her like this and now he didn't know how much he could take.

"Well at least you'll think twice before getting rid of me"

"But I didn't…" he argued as he pulled her head up to his again, he tilted his head and immediately deepened the kiss, twining his tongue with her, he sucked on her tongue before letting go.

She pushed him over onto the bed and fell together. She climbed on top of him, running her hands all over his chest and shoulders, her lips never leaving his. Even though she had enjoyed him being the aggressive one, this time she was in the mood to take control.

His shirt was in the way, she pulled it off and he laughed at her urgency. She leaned down and spread kisses all over his chest and trailed quick kisses across to his nipples, lick one to a hard point before sucking it lightly. He ran his fingers through her hair, keeping her close as he moaned in appreciation.

She needed him so badly, and they'd only been apart for a few days. She could feel his erect member pressing against her belly, she moved up until her pelvis met his and thrust against him.

"Oh God…" he trailed as he lifted her head up for a long kiss. "You're going crazy."

"Yeah? Are you really complaining?" she muttered as she moved her mouth down to his neck, nipping a sensitive area she had found a few dreams back.

"…not complaining…" he stopped talking as she sat up as she continued to grind on top of him, he groaned, she moaned as she looked straight into his eyes as she pulled her wife beater up and off, tossing it across the room. His gaze was unashamedly on her naked breasts and it made her even hotter to see the look of pure lust in his eyes. She couldn't deny the look in his eyes, he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Marshall reached up to grab her breasts and she let him paw them as much as he wanted. He tried to pull her back down, but she had other plans.

After letting him play with her breasts, pinching her nipples for a few minutes, she pushed his hands away and got off his lap. He snarled as she swiveled around to face his hardness. She pulled his boxer elastic waistband up and over his hard flesh. She could see him throbbing fast and hard, she could feel his hands moving over her back and down to cup her ass.

His thick member was hard and inviting, she licked her lips and it twitched, she looked up and saw him looking down at her, anticipating her lips surrounding him. She curled her fingers around it and stroked it a couple of times, then held it steady so she could take the tip into her mouth. She bobbed her head, taking more and more of it inside each time until she felt him at the back of her throat.

He arched his back and wailed, "Feels so good when you do that."

Mary smiled with her mouth full and continued to bring him to the edge. She enjoyed making him feel good, making them feel more connected then when they were partners.

Marshall continued to move his hand as much as he could to cup her moist center over her panties, but the only piece of clothing on her body was driving _her _mad. She wanted, no _needed_ him to touch her flesh and not through her panties.

"Take them off," she muttered as she pulled him free, swiping her tongue on the tip.

"Can't…straighten your legs out," he complained.

She released him with a heavy sigh and rolled onto her back, as soon as she was on her back he started to push her panties down before kicking his boxers completely off. He moved back towards her and brought his lips to hers, he kissed her tenderly.

"I need you," she looked up at him, her fingers in his hair. "Right now"

He gave her a curt nod, "Okay."

He kneed her thighs and moved over her, as he tried to move down between her legs, she knew he had misunderstood her. She didn't need him to return the favor, she _needed _him.

"No…I neeed you," she said simply.

The look of shock surprised almost made her laugh, it was finally dawning on him what she meant.

"Oh…like…"

"Yeah," she croaked.

When he didn't make any kind of move, she tackled him backward and straddled his waist once again, this time with nothing between them. She was so wet from arousal, all she needed to do was sink onto his hardness. But he held her back.

"Are you sure? Because…"

"I'm positive"

"No, listen…Mare, this is a bigger deal then a few stolen kisses and caresses in our dreams, if this happens…as real or non real you think this is…it _will_ be real to me. Will it be real for you?" he looked up at her, waiting for her to pull back and raise those damned walls he was always trying to break down.

Mary stared at him; she knew what he was asking. Will I be real for you? Will you take me seriously and become one with me? She always knew how to read him and she was ready, scared shitless but ready for real with him.

"I know and I want it…I _want_ you," she said looking him dead in the eyes. "I need it. I _need_ you. And I've never needed anyone this much ever before in my life."

Marshall looked into her eyes and saw what she was saying. He was so hot and hard, whatever any other objections he could possibly have went out the proverbial window and he shut it, locking his insecurities out. He understood that having sex was just one part of being intimate with someone, but they were not only naked because they had no clothes on, but at his moment they were emotionally naked as well.

He caught her off guard and rolled her onto her back, whispering against her ear before nipping it, "Such a bad influence on me."

She squealed in delight as she arched up against him, rubbing her erect nipples against his chest. His hardness came to rest naturally against her wet center and she tried to arch her hips, to get him inside just by rolling her hips. But he pulled back.

He waited until she settled down before he finally guided the tip of his hardness toward her soft wet center, slowly he pushed it inside. They stared at one another as her body accepted him eagerly and soon he was as far in to begin thrusting back and forth without pulling all the way out on his back strokes.

"Harder," she arched up under him as she ran her hands down to his ass, pulling him harder against her.

"I'm barely in you," he said on a dry chuckle. "Just let me…"

"Harder," she howled.

He stopped and pressed as deep as he could go, he pulled back slowly and all at once he shoved himself balls deep into her. He repeated the action again and again and again, bottoming out on every stroke.

She knew he was still holding back, "You're such…(gasp) a fucking…(moan) gentleman. You're still…oh God…being gentle with me, aren't you?"

"Yea…" he panted.

"Don't! I can take it…I can take all of you"

"I'm sure you can"

He rested his forehead on hers, his right hand moved down to wrap his hand on her thigh, pulling it higher over his waist. He backed all the way out until only the tip remained inside and slammed his himself hard into her. In the brief seconds before he did, she imagined what it would feel to take his whole passion and how great it would be for them both. She almost felt him pound himself into her over and over again. But as hard as he had thrust back into her, it had only managed to wake them up.

* * *

Mary sat up with a gasp and panted as she looked around her bedroom. She was alone yet again. She flopped down onto her pillow and stared up at her dark ceiling. She growled and cursed the heavens, her body was on fire and there was no way in hell she would take care of herself.

* * *

Marshall's eyes opened and he groaned as he felt his hardness being pushed back by his boxers, he sat up and took a few deep breaths. He couldn't believe that they had gotten that far only to be awoken so abruptly.

He leaned over, resting his arms against his knees and continued to try to regulate his panting breathing. He was in quite a state that he was sure that he couldn't take care of himself.

* * *

**TBC...**


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you for the review! I thought this would be the last chapter, but I still have one more. Epilogue? No Epilogue? Not sure yet...but once I post the last chapter (next chapter) I'll know for sure if I'll have an epilogue.**

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Mary got up and paced her room, she knew she shouldn't have been so aggressive. She should've known this would happen, given the fact that anything too intense normally woke them up. She had gotten too greedy and now she was home alone, in a state only he could take care of.

Marshall lay back sideways on his bed, his feet still firmly planted on the carpeted floor of his lonely room. He wasn't sure he could really do much but wait for his aroused hardness would diminish and let him sleep. But he couldn't pretend he wanted to drive over to Mary's and have her under him while she took the pounding she had begged for.

He moaned and rubbed his face in aroused frustration. He hadn't been in this condition since he was a young boy of 13 years old and his friend had shown him a dirty magazine.

After a few minutes, Mary tried to talk herself out of doing it, she went with her initial impulse for once and she opened a drawer and pulled out her Marshal assigned sweats and sweater. She was going to drive over to Marshall's place and pounce on him, hoping that he wouldn't be a gentleman for once.

She was glad that one of the things she had asked when she finally talked to him about his break-up, was his new digs. It took her 10 minutes in the middle of the night to reach his place; she opened his door with the emergency key he had left on her desk the day after he had given her his new address.

She stepped in and locked the door, she shucked the sweats and sweater off on the living room, leaving her only in her wife beater and panties. After taking a few breaths outside his bedroom door, pulled it open and stepped inside.

He was awake, he heard his door open and felt her presence in his lonely apartment. He didn't even have to get up to investigate, he knew her steps as well as he knew the back of his hands.

As expected, she saw that he was awake, laying sideways on the bed. His hardness lewdly standing up at attention caught her eyes first.

"Hey," he said hoarsely. "Listen, we should…"

"Shh"

She padded over to his bed and climbed straddling his hips, she slowly lowered herself against him, trying not to hurt him.

"What are…"

"Shh," she didn't want to give him a chance to protest and be his usual reserved self.

She covered his lips with her fingers but thought better and lowered her head to kiss him. That would help to keep him quiet and get too aroused to protest.

He kissed her for a second or two, pulling back, "Wait. I know we're both really _really _turned on, believe me, you can definitely feel how turned on I am…but…"

"But what?" she said in frustration, grinding her hips over his hard flesh.

He moaned and clutched her tighter against him, keeping her hips still, "We can't just do whatever we want…"

"Why not?"

"Because…because…we've discussed things only in our dreams, are you really sure…"

She cut him off with a hard kiss, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, searching and dueling with his. With his hands still on her hips, she began to grind harder against him, causing him to arch into the pleasure that simple move evoked.

He tore his lips from hers, "I swear to God, if you don't stop interrupting me…"

"What? You'll hold me down and do naughty things? I think I'll keep interrupt-…" this time she was cut off as she yelped when he rolled them over.

She lay on her back staring up at him, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her higher up on his bed, then murmured, "I was serious about what I said in the dream. Once we cross this line, there is no going back and you won't have the luxury to pull away and push me away. I will fight you the whole way until I break you. I'm a very patient man, so I'm about to give you an out."

"I don't want an out, I just want you"

To prove her point, she pulled her wife beater as best as she could with his arms wrapped around her and threw it across his bedroom. She preceded by pushing his shorts and boxers down over his hips, "Help me."

Marshall rolled off her and moaned, "Please don't. I'm not going to be able to ever think of you as just my best-friend. I'm already having a hard time not thinking about the dreams in the office to prevent this." He waved at his hardness as she pulled the shorts and boxers all the way off him.

"That's okay," she pushed her panties off and straddled him, bringing his hard flesh to her pouting bud and thrust against him, "We're going to be more than just best-friends and colleagues, I'm ready for more."

Marshall closed his eyes and appeared to accept what was about to happen. Mary leaned down again before going any further and kissed him. He had no chance to avoid her this time since his eyes were closed.

"Is this too much for you? Will you hate me afterwards?" she asked apprehensively.

"No, I'm definitely going too far the other way"

She grinned, "Great"

She grasped him and positioned his shaft directly in her wet center, staring deep into his dark blue eyes, she impaled herself on it. She made it almost halfway down his length in one long, smooth motion. It felt better than the dreams and completely real this time, her best-friend – the only man in her life – he was almost as deep inside of her and she loved it.

Mary grabbed his shoulders for support while he wrapped his hands around her waist as he helped her, she bounced gently and gradually forced him deeper and deeper inside of her. He was looking at her, breathing hard through his panting lips. His eyes would shift from her bouncing breasts to their lower halves as she joined her hips to his.

Marshall growled and reached over the night table, pushing a button and the bedside lamp washed the room with a low light. His hands went back to her waist and he moved them over her ass, spreading her cheeks as he pulled her harder against him.

As she got more comfortable her pace picked up and they reached a pleasurable rhythm, trying to make their movements as hard and fast as they could.

Marshall could only hold back so much, suddenly he pulled her down and kissed her hard, passionately thrusting his tongue in sync with his hardness into her body. She growled happily into his mouth and tried to continue to bounce on his hard flesh. She tore her mouth from his and licked from his jaw down to his throat, suckling the sensitive spot.

He rolled them and she didn't fight him for control, they were equals in the bedroom as well as their partnership. He leaned on his arms as he looked down at her with lust-filled blue-black eyes while she grinned up at him. She rocked her hips to remind him they were still connected.

He bent down and took her pink puffy nipple into his mouth, growling, "You are incredibly hot."

"Marshall, please…" he was moving way too slow for her. "Just fuck me already."

He obliged and slammed all the way into her, making her moan in pleasure. She didn't even try to keep her voice down, it didn't even enter her mind that he lived in an apartment building and his neighbors might hear their lovemaking. He pounded her into the mattress, the head board began to hit the wall in sync with his rhythm.

She wanted to laugh at the lewd noise the bed made as it squeaked, but moaned in pleasure instead, he was giving her exactly what she had asked and then more.

Marshall moved from her pink nipples up her neck repeatedly, trailing kisses across her bare skin until he had to break for air. She tangled her fingers in his hair and whispered encouragement, guiding him to her most erogenous zone.

Slowly, but inevitably, they felt their orgasm building. She urged Marshall, "Harder Marshall…oh please, harder."

He fucked her harder and faster as he kissed her hard, biting her lower lip staring down at her, "Damn, you're going to make me come, baby."

She urged him on, burying her face in his shoulder as she approached the breaking point. When she finally went over the blissful cliff she arched and screamed her gratitude to the heavens. She thrust up against him and felt his hips start to stutter in readiness of his impending orgasm. His hips jerked as he came, spurting his essence deep within her body. He held her hips still and grinding his pelvis to hers, keeping himself deep inside of her.

He lay over her, panting into the pillow as he tried to catch his breath. She unwound her legs from around him and dropped them on the bed, she kept her arms surrounding him, keeping him close.

* * *

**TBC...Will Mary have regrets? Will she push him away? **


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for the review! I'm such a spaz! I thought I had post this chapter already...oops, will rectify now. Sorry guys. :/**

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"Are you okay?" he asked as he pulled himself out of her, rolling to his side, facing her.

Mary turned her head to face him, still panting from the exertions, "Yeah…do you hate me from bringing the dream…"

Marshall cut her off, throwing his arm over her and brought her closer, "No, I don't hate you…I really really don't. That's kind of the problem, in some ways."

"Doesn't seem like much of a problem. You warned me of the consequences and I still took the risk, that would make it my fault by default," she turned and pressed her body completely against him.

"This is…what we just did, could never be called a blame. I need you to know and understand that. I don't know if you're ready to hear this but I'm ready to be clear about my feelings," he tried to roll away, but Mary rolled with him, laying over him. No more running away.

"So tell me," she kissed his jaw.

"I'm in love with you. Why do you think I sent you instead of Delia on that witness run? I needed to get some space and so did you. We both needed to think and analyze what is going on here. Yeah, we didn't think we would be away from each other during sleep mode, but I guess we both came with the conclusion that we wanted more from each other and…"

Mary leaned down and kissed him, shutting his running mouth from spewing more information then needed. He had just confessed that he was in love with her. _Marshall had just told her – **to her face** – that he was **in** love with **her**._

She tore her lips from his and pecked him a few times before sighing, using her signature smirk, "Aww, you're so sweet."

Marshall closed his eyes and sighed sadly, "See, I knew you wouldn't take me seriously. I mean, I have deep – **_in love_ **– feelings for you that I've had for so damn long and you…"

This time Mary covered his mouth with the palm of her hand, "_Idiot_. You know what I did all week on that damn witness run? I missed you. I wanted to reply to all your damn texts – that by the way, you need to learn how to use acronyms and not spell the whole word – I was absolutely pathetic. Carl kept eyeing me and I had to snap at him every time I woke without having a dream with you. I have **_never_ **missed anyone as much as I've missed you whenever you're not around." She leaned her forehead against his and whispered, "I'm not very good at eyes wide open, in this case more like 'heart wide open', but if you can man up – no pun – I can give you as much as you're willing to give me."

His eyes went from sad and overcast to a smiling sparkle, he nodded.

"Marshal Marshall Mann, I'm in love with you, too," she smiled down at him and he rolled them over.

"Thank you. I know you don't like to show your emotions, you know? It's hard to know what you're thinking," he moved in for a kiss, licked her lower lip before taking it between his teeth and nipping it.

She moaned, "You could just ask."

"Yeah, because Ms. Shannon is very forthcoming when asked serious questions," he teased as he nibbled on her lips.

"Do you think we're going to be okay?" she asked uneasily, pushing him slightly away from her to stare up into his bright eyes.

"Don't worry about it, we're going to be great," he murmured down to her neck suckling as he went, he felt her spread her legs as he settled between them. They had just come apart, but their bodies requested more of each other.

Somehow the kissing got dragged out by both of them, longer than they intended. She felt him harden against her moist center and she arched under him, rubbing his lengthening hardness against her tender bud.

Maybe it was because she had just been sated, but they didn't have any of the same urgency of the first time. _Or the second, if you counted the dream as the first._ His erection prodded her center and she again tilted her hips, the gentle rocking of their hips and their rhythm sync guided him into her with ease. Slowly, so slowly he penetrated her, not once having to put any real force into his movements.

Marshall nuzzled her neck as he filled her up down below and left the occasional soft kiss when the whim took him. He gently caressed her breasts with his right paw, while the other stayed on her lower back, just above her ass.

They could've enjoyed their slow lovemaking, but Marshall soon lost the battle and his strokes got longer and harder and faster. Mary had slowly been building up to another orgasm for long enough that the increased stimulation hit her harder than it should have.

When she came, it almost wasn't what she typically thought of as an orgasm, but more a sudden increase in the pleasure she already felt. It was like floating in the ocean and being lifted by a huge wave. The transition was smooth but wasn't diminished in power, if anything is was more powerful. Her last thought was that she finally knew what lovemaking was about, giving your all to the person that joined his body to yours.

Marshall felt her arms clutch him tightly against her as he kept pumping in and out of her, his arms went around her back and his hands clamped hard over her shoulder, holding her as he kept fucking her in a steady rhythm the whole time, making it hard for the orgasm to back down, keeping her high in her pleasure.

She moaned in ecstasy, then begged for mercy, "Pl-please, oh Marshall….ooohhhh!"

He grunted, either in acknowledgement or refusal, she wasn't sure which and it scared her. Her heart was ready to burst from the love she felt for this man. Whichever it was, he picked up his pace and she arched harder under him.

Marshall couldn't hold back as much as he'd like, he pounded her into the mattress and groaned in agony, sweet sweet agony as his hands moved down to her hips, he held her as he jerked a few times. He was gradually losing control of his actions and thrusting frantically and erratically, releasing his seed deep within her body. He collapsed on top of her and panted a few gasps to try to catch his breath.

She ran her fingers through his hair and down his back, placing soft kisses on his temple, ears, neck and muscled shoulders while she waited for him to climb down from his pleasurable high.

They didn't have to say anything after that, they just lay in blissful exhaustion within each other's arms. He slowly moved over to the side of her and pulled her back flush against his front, kissing her neck and shoulders before their breathing regulated enough to fall asleep.

* * *

**TBC...there will probably be a short epilogue, still no promises...but definitely one more chapter :) Please review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Well, here it is...it took me a while, but I finally finished this story. I want to thank everyone that read and reviewed my story, you guys are AWESOME.**

* * *

**Epilogue**

They never had their shared dream again after that night. Things were back to normal while they slept, at least as normal as dreams ever get.

Of course, there were other things that would most likely never go back to the way they were. Marshall and Mary very, very rarely slept alone anymore and that was only when she was on a witness transfer. It seemed so silly when they could sleep together instead. It was a bit of a risk that someone might have caught them eventually, even with how everyone usually respected their privacy, but they did it anyway.

They began to start talking about moving into their own place, almost a necessity if they were going to keep sleeping with each other the way they wanted. They liked imagining it, but it was always hard to discuss seriously when they were together. They seemed to get distracted a lot. It would happen someday, that was the important thing, and until then there were plenty of things they could do to keep themselves amused.

* * *

Marshall crawled into bed in the wee hours of the morning; he reached out and found her naked under the blankets, lying on her side, facing him. He didn't have to do much, even in sleep, his touch conveyed a whole conversation.

Mary mumbled in her sleep and migrated towards his warmth, she hmm'd when her body touched his and burrowed her face into his neck.

He groaned and ran his hands up and down her back, going down as low as her thighs, cupping her backside on his way up, pulling her flush against him. He had also shed all his clothes before joining her, they had no need for clothing that would be removed as soon as they hit the sack together.

She moaned and burrowed closer, moving her leg over his hip and gasping awake at the feel of him hard and aroused against her abdomen.

"Mmmm, did you just get in?" she asked distractedly as he continued to move his caressing hands up and down her back, always pulling her hips against his hardness.

"Yeah," he whispered back as he opened his mouth over her shoulder, tasting her as he explored her backside.

"What time is it?" she tilted her head for his nuzzling lips and arched when he bit into her sensitive neck.

"It's too early for you to be bad," he growled when she moved her thigh over to his waist, opening herself fully to his ministrations.

When he felt her wetness with his hardness, he rolled them over until he was above her, between her thighs. He swept his tongue into her mouth and she melted against the mattress, thrusting her tongue against him. He pulled her closer to him, her hands moved over his back before she wrapped her arms around his neck, aware of the way his manhood now pressed against her lower belly.

Marshall tore his lips from her, he panted a whispered, "I love you" over her kiss swollen lips. She groaned and responded in kind, "I love you too".

He grinned down at her and she marveled at the sight, in her eyes, he was already a handsome man, but when he grinned at her. He turned into her own personal sexy lawman, not being able to help herself, she pulled him down for another brain scrambling kiss.

"How the hell did I get this lucky Marshall?" she growled with unshed tears.

"Shh…I'm the lucky one, baby," he tilted his head and deepened the kiss.

His hands traveled up and down her body, making her moan in appreciation. She loved his hands on her, the way his hands made her feel like a whole person, turned her on so much that she felt on fire. She wanted nothing more than to be consumed by his fire, knowing she was safe to give herself to him completely, as he always gave himself to her.

When his hands moved down to her hips, tilting her up as he pulled back, his hard flesh fell between her legs, she arched up with him and moved her legs over his hips. His right hand moved down her thigh before traveling up and between her legs, he brushed her sensitive flesh with his fingers, teasing her in a way that caused an ache between her legs to grow more intense. It was always this way, every time they made love, it felt so new and so much hotter than the last time.

His fingers stroked and she moaned, murmuring for him to continue. His mouth left hers and lifted his eyes to meet hers, "Do you think I'll leave you unsatisfied?"

She arched her hips provocatively and pulled two fingers into her, she smirked, "Oohhh, I _know_ you won't. I'll make sure I make you finish what you've started."

Finding her sensitive nub with his thumb, he leaned down and took a rosy pink nipple into his mouth, he suckled her and thrust his fingers into her. He kept her in a state of arousal and asked roguishly, "You won't?"

Mary wanted to reply to his playful question, she had no doubt that her Mann would finish her off, but a moan escaped her lips and she forgot all about it. She focused instead on him and everything he was doing to her, to the pleasure mounting between her legs. She shifted against him to help him along, her hips rocking in time to the rhythm he had set. He brought his mouth back to her breast, suckling her harder, she arched her back and groaned, she would sport a bruise on her flesh and she would revel in it. Her fingers ran through his hair, pulling him closer as she prepared to get closer to the edge. When she didn't think she could take no more, he gave her an inch, and she reached her peak. Panting, she stilled her movements and cherished every wave of pleasure crashing into her.

As her orgasm dwindled, she relaxed and sighed in satisfaction. He lifted his head from her breast, licked it one last time before dropping a kiss on her nipple, moving his lips up to her neck and nuzzling her ear, "I promise to never leave you unsatisfied, my love."

She lay there for a minute before she urged him to enter her, to take his own pleasure with her body. He didn't have to question her, he immediately pulled her thighs higher around his ribs, with his hands under her knees, he held her hips and plunged deep with one thrust. He held himself deep within her body, felt her insides clench the invading intruder, causing him to groan in pleasure.

"Always so…tight," he grunted as he pulled slowly back out before plunging deep again.

Mary tried to arch up to receive him, but with his hands holding her still, she could only moan in satisfaction, aware of his thickness as he began to move inside her and she let him guide her into another orgasm.

Marshall always in tune with her desires didn't need her encouragement; he continued to move inside her, holding her in place of his well-placed thrusts. Encouraged by her moaning, he increased the momentum of his thrusting, moving harder and faster. They worked together, both reaching for the same goal, it wasn't long before she arched her back and cried as she climaxed again, this time she felt it deep within her core. He thrust a few times, one…two…three, right before he grew taut and released his seed.

He collapsed above her, making her grunt with the impact, he relaxed in her arms and brushed a kiss on her shoulder.

She ran her hands up and down his back and smiled in satisfaction, she wrapped her legs around his waist, keeping him buried deep inside her. She loved the way he felt in her and was always sad when she lost their connection.

He leaned up and grinned down at her, he kissed her again, no longer urgent. His tongue brushed hers and they remained kissing for a long time, neither in any hurry to end the moment. After a couple of minutes, he pulled his head up and pulled out of her. She immediately felt the loss of having him inside her, she moved with him as he lay next to her, pulling her close to his body, holding her protectively in his arms.

Mary lay there thinking of all the good and the bad in her life, knowing that Marshall definitely topped both lists and only in the best naughty way. She thought he had fallen asleep after their rigorous activity, so was startled when he rolled his body towards hers and held her close against him.

"I love you Mary Shannon, and I want to love you for the rest of my life," he told her in his post-coital coarse voice.

She ran her fingers through his hair and pecked his lips, "I love you too Marshall Mann."

Marshall sat up and pulled her up with him, naked in all their glory, he reached over into his nightstand and pulled a small ring box.

Mary looked from the box to his eyes, not believing this was happening, tears springing into her eyes.

He shifted in bed until he was on one knee, pulling her up to her knees and asked, "Mary Shannon, love of my life, will you put me out of my misery and marry me?"

She looked down at the very demure handcuff engagement ring, a chuckle escaped her lips and then she laughed in joy, "Yes!"

When he heard her laugh, he thought he had finally pushed her over the edge of madness, but then smiled at her yes, pulling the ring from the box and pushing it into her ring finger.

Mary sobered enough to look deep into his cerulean eyes and saying, "I love you Marshall Mann, you complete me."

He grinned and pulled her down onto the bed, "And you complete me."

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**Fin...Hope it was worth the wait. Please review. **


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